Speaker Anġlu Farruġia still in the dark on whether he will keep his post
Edward Zammit Lewis favourite to replace him
Speaker Anglu Farrugia is still in the dark on whether he is going to keep his post in this legislature, The Malta Independent has learnt.
Sources within the government told this newsroom that former tourism Minister Edward Zammit Lewis, who was not elected in the general election, is being earmarked to replace Farrugia should he fail to get elected in the casual election. It is being said that Prime Minister Joseph Muscat is going to wait for the results of the causal elections, which are going to be held next Tuesday, and then take a final decision.
Sources told this newsroom that Farrugia is still interested in keeping the post for the coming five years.
Prime Minister Muscat was last seen with the Speaker during the Sette Giugno ceremony, two days after the election results but sources close to the Prime Minister said that he did not make time to meet with the Speaker.
Former Tourism Minister Zammit Lewis, who was seen by his party as a star candidate during this election, proved unpopular with his constituents. Zammit Lewis had contested on the eighth and ninth district but was elected on neither.
In 2013 Zammit Lewis was appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Competitiveness and Economic Growth. He was subsequently appointed Minister for Tourism in April 2014, after Karmenu Vella became EU Commissioner. During his term as a tourism minister he had to deal with the restructuring process and uncertainty at Air Malta, including the failed Alitalia deal.
During one of the Broadcasting Authority debates, this newsroom asked him if he would run for the post of Deputy Prime Minister for Parliamentary Affairs should he be elected, and his reply was yes.
Anglu Farrugia became speaker when the Labour Party won the election in 2013. He served as an MP for a number of years and was also appointed PL deputy party leader in 2008 and in December 2012 he was forced to step down following comments on Magistrate Audrey Demicoli. In an interview back in 2013 Farrugia said that Muscat had “stabbed him in the back” and “shot him in cold blood.”
Muscat later made amends with Farrugia, who had not contested the 2013 election, by making him Speaker of the House.
During his tenure Farrugia had to face in parliament the debate about the appointment of his daughter, Caroline Farrugia Frendo, as a magistrate. On various occasions he gave controversial rulings in favour of and against the Government. It is understood that, should Anġlu Farrugia lose his position, he will militate within the Labour Party to replace Muscat, who declared that he will not run another election as leader.