[WATCH] Marlene Farrugia hints at giving up PD leadership

Marlene Farrugia hints at giving up PD leadership

PD leader Marlene Farrugia said today that, if it were up to her, she would not contest the leadership of the Democratic Party next time round, preferring to focus on her parliamentary responsibilities and personal interests. 

Farrugia told MaltaToday that she would prefer to focus on her duties and responsibilities in Parliament rather than being confirmed leader of the PD. 

"Besides that, I have a number of personal projects and things that I would like to pursue," she said. 

Farrugia revealed this when asked if she would run for leader of the Nationalist Party herself if she could, in the wake of her recent criticism of the election process and the candidates. 

She said that the country needs a strong opposition and that was why she had recommended that all Nationalist Party members vote in all stages of the party leadership contest. 

"PN members have approached me and told me they want a say in the selection of the leaders and in the rebuilding of the party," she said. 

Farrugia said she had described the four contenders as non-starters not because of any character flaws but because the party members would not get to select between them until the very last stage of the election process. 

She said she, like anyone else, had a right to voice her opinion on the leadership contest in one of the country's largest political parties. 

"I had recommended the same thing when the Labour Party had its election, when George Abela had run, and if the party had allowed its members to select the leaders back then, things would probably be very different today," she said. "We would probably not have sold Enemalta or had the scandals we had in the past few years."