Entrepreneur Ivan Bartolo will be entering the race for the Nationalist Party’s parliamentary seat vacated by Marthese Portelli who recently decided to resign.
Bartolo’s decision is highly significant: he has been touted as a possible candidate for the leadership since the 2017 general election which he had unsuccessfully contested.
Contacted by Times of Malta, Bartolo saluted those who had voted for him saying he must be held accountable to their preference. Moreover, he reiterated his view that the party needed to change direction.
“I must also offer my services to the Nationalist Party at this critical juncture where change within is the order of the day as our combined goal is to become an alternative government. My ultimate goal is to serve my country,” he said.
Though he had initially supported incumbent leader Adrian Delia, last summer Bartolo had called for change in the wake of the historic double drubbing in the European and council elections.
He was part of a group of general council members, the PN’s highest organ, who had collected signatures to trigger a vote of confidence. However, Dr Delia had passed the test garnering 68 per cent of the votes.
Bartolo will be submitting his nomination for the casual election set to be held in the ninth electoral district comprising Għargħur, Msida, Swatar Msida, San Ġwann, Kappara, Swieqi Madliena and Ta’ Xbiex.
Under the Maltese electoral system, the winner of such an election is determined by opening the ballots of the MPs relinquishing the seat. In this case Mr Bartolo would have a head start as when he was eliminated on the 28th count, half of his 2,000 votes had been transferred to Dr Portelli.
Nominations close tomorrow, and until Thursday only two candidates had thrown their name in the hat: Graziella Attard Previ and Charles Selvaggi.
Meanwhile, the Electoral Commission is also receiving nominations to fill the seat relinquished on the 12th district by former Opposition leader Simon Busuttil who took up the full-time post in Brussels of secretary general of the European People’s Party.
Until yesterday the only candidates submitting their nomination were Sam Abela, son of former PN MP Tony Abela, and former Radio 101 presenter David Thake.
The latter had broken ranks with the party soon after Delia’s election as leader and had even resigned from the St Paul’s Bay local council where he was serving as deputy mayor. Thake is expected to face a stiff challenge from former St Paul’s Bay mayor Graziella Galea.
The two casual elections are scheduled for Tuesday.