Joseph Muscat expiry date

18 January 2020

An election to replace Joseph Muscat as leader of the Labour Party and, by default, prime minister, is slated for 18 January, multiple sources have told The Malta Independent on Sunday.

It is still unclear whether Muscat will remain at the helm until then or if he will be resigning earlier to make way for the appointment of an acting leader.

If more than two candidates are interested in the job, a first round of elections will be held on 8 January to select the final two candidates.

This development comes in the wake of growing pressure on Muscat to leave so as not to cause more harm to his own government and Malta.

The prime minister is due to make a statement announcing his departure and the start of a leadership race, source within the Labour Party have said.

Next week, the Labour government will be halfway through its current term in office. The last general election was held on 3 June 2017, with Muscat taking his oath of office on 5 June.

The government has so far denied reports that the Cabinet is split over the idea of Muscat stepping down, but the latest developments in the case have sped up the transition process.

Muscat met President George Vella on Friday and it is believed the two discussed Muscat’s resignation.

Muscat had said that he intended to step down before the next election, and there had been indications that he would have stepped down as early as last September had he been given a job within the European Union.

But that plan failed and he was forced to prolong his premiership. The latest developments — namely the arrest of his chief of staff for questioning in connection with the murder of Journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, as well as the resignation of Tourism Minister Konrad Mizzi and the self-suspension Economy Minister Chris Cardona – have forced the issue. A court ruling placing three ministers under investigation in relation to the VGH hospitals deal has also added pressure on the prime minister to go.

Calls for his resignation have been coming from all quarters, with civil society and NGOs taking to the streets almost every day. Constituted bodies, including employers, have also repeatedly asked for action to be taken to restore stability in the country.

Muscat has said that he will stay on because the country needs his leadership, with detractors, including the Opposition leader, saying that his presence is adding to the country’s instability.

Deputy leader Chris Fearne, Transport Minister Ian Borg and MEP Miriam Dalli have all been named as possible contenders for the leadership, but there could be the possibility of outsiders vying for the job.