PN approves Delia’s co-option by show of hands, after secret vote is forgone

Former EU commissioner Tonio Borg asks that Adrian Delia’s co-option be approved by show of hands, instead of secret vote

Adrian Delia will be co-opted to the House on Wednesday evening
Adrian Delia will be co-opted to the House on Wednesday evening

The Nationalist Party’s executive has unanimously approved the co-option of party leader Adrian Delia to the House of Representatives, to take up the seat vacated by Peter Micallef.

Micallef resigned immediately after having been elected by casual election on Tuesday, following the resignation of Jean Pierre Debono.

Debono, a supporter of Delia’s leadership bid, resigned his seventh district seat in a bid to see Delia, a non-MP, take up a seat in the House.

Before the vote was taken, former EU commissioner Tonio Borg, a PN executive member, asked that the secret vote to approve Delia’s co-option be forgone so that a show of hands could be taken.

The request was seconded by MPs Clyde Puli and whip David Agius, the latter also seeking to contest the deputy leadership.

Delia’s co-option was unanimously approved. He will be sworn in as MP on Wednesday evening by the Speaker of the House.

The Nationalist Party’s new administration is now set to be in place by November 23, the party said.

The elections for the party president and the 18 members of the executive committee will be held on November 4. Early voting will be held on 28 October.

On 18 November, the party will hold a general convention during which the election for the two deputy leaders from among the shortlisted candidates will be held. All the party’s members will be able to vote in this election. Early voting will be held on 11 November.

Nominations for the posts for deputy leaders are being accepted between 9-13 October, while those for general council president and the 18 representatives on the executive committee between 18-24 October.

The PN’s secretary-general will then be appointed by the PN executive committee meeting on 23 November. Nominations will be accepted between 13-17 November.

After the resignation of the PN’s electoral commission in the wake of the Debono proxy vote report, a new electoral commission will be leading the new elections. Its members are Robert Muscat, chairman, Angelito Sciberras, Erica Gauci, Richard Muscat, John Debono, David Camilleri, Alessia Psaila Zammit, Euchar Mizzi and Graziella Attard Previ.