European Commissioner Glenn Micallef’s Labour rally speech draws scrutiny

A speech by Glenn Micallef at a Labour rally over the weekend has raised questions about possible breaches of campaigning guidelines for European Commissioners.

On Thursday, Politico described Micallef's participation in the rally as putting "strain" on EC president Ursula von der Leyen's attempts to encourage her team to avoid partisan activities.

European Commission rules do not prohibit commissioners from participating in an election campaign. However, they must inform the EC president of their participation and ensure that they “fully separate” their institutional role from campaign activities.

According to guidelines issued in 2024, “members of the commission participating in the campaign can – exceptionally - support and speak on behalf of a political party”. However, they must distinguish between institutional activities carried out on behalf of the commission and political activities.

“These two different situations need to be separated from each other as clearly as possible,” the guidelines say.

When contacted, a spokesperson for von der Leyen said Micallef had informed her of “his intention to take a non-active role in the election campaign”.

The spokesperson said von der Leyen, in turn, had “reminded the commissioner of his obligation to fully separate campaign from his institutional role, refrain from using commission resources, respect the Code of Conduct and election campaign guidelines, and seek guidance in case of doubts regarding their application”.

The guidelines define a non-active role as “a limited and occasional participation that results from a Member’s affiliation to, or association with, a national or European political party in a Member State”.

They go on to say that this should “not go beyond a modest contribution, involving not more than a very limited number of occasional statements or activities during the campaign”.

“This can take the form of an occasional participation at a party or campaign event (mere presence, speech, panel discussion or interview)... as long as the participation remains modest in its form, content and public perception,” the guidelines say.

Micallef was the first speaker at a Labour rally in Ħamrun’s Victor Tedesco stadium on Sunday afternoon.

He was introduced as the former head of secretariat for Prime Minister Robert Abela and the “Maltese Commissioner” who “brings great honour to Malta when working in Brussels”.

He also referenced his EC role in his speech, saying he was in Brussels as “a European Commissioner coming from Malta”.

“This happened because there is a Prime Minister, Robert Abela, who believes in youths and is not afraid to trust a new generation,” he added.

Micallef said he had travelled across Europe and beyond in recent months, frequently speaking to families who were struggling to make ends meet as energy costs surged, unlike in Malta, where prices are frozen thanks to government subsidies.

“I could have remained in Brussels but my duty towards the country I love called me to be here with you,” Micallef told the crowd.

Micallef is not the only high-profile EU figure to appear on the campaign trail in recent weeks.

EP President Roberta Metsola has been a frequent presence during PN events, addressing rallies and joining Borg on house visits.

However, unlike in the case of European Commissioners, there are no specific guidelines governing how EP presidents are to participate in national elections.

When contacted for comment, Micallef pointed Times of Malta to the Commission’s statement, showing he had requested von der Leyen’s approval before participating in campaign events.