Robert Abela to nominate Carmelo Abela as Speaker of the House

Prime Minister Robert Abela will nominate former minister Carmelo Abela as Speaker of the House of Representatives when Malta's 15th legislature opens on Saturday, replacing long-serving Speaker Anglu Farrugia.

The announcement was made by the government on Monday, confirming that Robert Abela will table a motion in Parliament proposing Carmelo Abela for the role.

Carmelo Abela, who was first elected to Parliament in 1996, has retained his seat in every general election since, including the election held on 30 May. Throughout his parliamentary career, he has occupied several senior positions both within Parliament and government.

He served as deputy speaker for more than seven years during the legislatures elected in 2003 and 2008. Following Labour's return to government in 2013, he was appointed government parliamentary whip before being named minister for home affairs and national security in December 2014. In 2017, he was appointed minister for foreign affairs and trade promotion, and in January 2020 became minister within the Office of the Prime Minister with a number of direct responsibilities.

The government said Carmelo Abela has informed the Electoral Commission that he will relinquish the parliamentary seat he won from the Third District, paving the way for his appointment as Speaker.

In a statement, the government said the prime minister wished Carmelo Abela success in leading "the country's highest institution, a key pillar of our democracy".

The appointment will bring to an end Anglu Farrugia's 13-year tenure as Speaker. Farrugia was first elected Speaker in April 2013 following Labour's landslide election victory and was subsequently re-elected to the role after the 2017 and 2022 general elections.

During his time in office, Farrugia presided over three legislatures and oversaw a period marked by significant political turbulence, including the fallout from the assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, constitutional reforms and heightened scrutiny of parliamentary standards and conduct.

A lawyer by profession, Farrugia entered Parliament in 1996 as a Labour MP and served as deputy leader of the Labour Party between 2008 and 2012. He resigned from the post following Labour's electoral defeat in 2008 but remained an influential figure within the party before being chosen as Speaker after Labour returned to government.

The government thanked Farrugia for what it described as his "impeccable service" to the country during his tenure as Speaker over the past three consecutive legislatures.