Labour’s former MEP Josianne Cutajar on Sunday confirmed she will not be contesting for the position of Labour’s deputy leader for party affairs.
Her announcement came on the day the nominations for Labour's executive roles closed, leaving only one candidate to run for the post, Labour MEP Alex Agius Saliba.
The internal party elections will be held on September 13 and 14.
In a Facebook post, Cutajar thanked all those who supported and approached her to contest for the role in the past few weeks. While not directly stating that she will not be contesting for the role she said:
"After having considered all the circumstances at length, as well as the decisions taken concerning this process, I choose to continue my commitment in favour of what I believe in a different manner."
Earlier this month, the former MEP came out against the proposed changes to the party’s statute to allow sitting MPs or MEPs to occupy the role of deputy leader for party affairs.
She previously told Times of Malta she believes the deputy leader for party affairs should devote their undivided attention to the party “without favouritism related to [matters concerning their] current or prospective districts.”
The proposed change was approved during an extraordinary general conference at the Labour Party headquarters at the beginning of the month.
In her post, she provided a few words of advice to those who will be elected to the top party posts, such as ensuring the party stays true to its “socialist roots” and to focus on the interests of the electorate.
“Ensure there is space for living and constructive debate within the party’s structures, and avoid ‘rubberstamping’,” she continued.
She said there must be space to those who share the party’s stated principles, and highlighted there are many “genuine people” who wish to contribute to the party. Cutajar added the party must focus on the real inclusion of people with different backgrounds and not simply “tokenism”.
She said there must be work on the progress and renewal of the way politics is conducted and the way the political message is delivered to address the current realities of the party and government.
Who is contesting for the top party roles?
On Saturday, former TVM head of news Normal Saliba announced she is to run for the post of Labour Party president.
Saliba said she was urged to contest the post by Labour leader Robert Abela and had the backing of Ian Borg and Alex Agius Saliba, the two confirmed candidates for the party’s two deputy leadership posts.
Lawyer Alex Sciberras, the son of the late judge Philip Sciberras, said on Friday that he would be contesting the post.
The party’s two deputy leadership posts, on the other hand, appear likely to be uncontested affairs. Foreign Affairs Minister Ian Borg will run for deputy leader of parliamentary affairs and is rumoured to have the backing of Labour’s MPs to do so. If elected, he will become deputy prime minister.