Speculation is mounting within Labour circles that former Gozo and education minister Justyne Caruana could be returning to politics, this time as an MEP candidate.

Sources close to government and the PL say the party would like her to run in June’s European Parliament elections, not least because it needs a strong Gozo candidate to replace the outgoing Josianne Cutajar.

They say, however, that it is too soon to speak with certainty about Caruana appearing on the ballot in June. What is clear, Labour sources say, is that party activists are enthusiastic about Caruana’s possible return and that an MEP run is among the ways she could do that.

Abela is due to speak at a political rally in Gozo this Sunday and the rally’s timing and location has further fuelled talk about Labour laying the groundwork to anoint Caruana its Gozitan MEP candidate. Sunday’s rally was announced on the same day that Abela made his public overture to Caruana.

Still, Labour is keeping its cards very close to its chest. Even people within the party are not sure what Abela’s plan is. Many say Caruana has been asked to contest and that she has so far remained non-committal. Some say nothing has been confirmed. Others say they do not know whether Caruana was even approached.

When contacted, Caruana said she thanked the prime minister for his comments about her. She declined to speak further.

Caruana, a former Gozo minister and Labour MP, bowed out of the political scene in 2022 after scandals led her to resign twice in two years as minister. 

Abela brought up Caruana’s name

Abela brought up Caruana’s name in an interview on TVM’s Xtra this week, when he was asked about Labour MEP Josianne Cutajar’s announcement that she will not be seeking re-election.

The prime minister praised Cutajar as a valuable member of the party.

“But it’s not just Josianne,” he added voluntarily. “Let me mention another Gozitan – Justyne Caruana – for instance. Isn’t she another person we lost in politics?” Both Cutajar and Caruana are from Gozo.

Does Labour need Caruana as MEP?

Labour sources all seem to agree on one thing: the party needs a Gozitan candidate to run for MEP.

“Gozitans vote for Gozitans. They generally trust them more. It’s that simple,” one of them said. “And the party cannot afford not having a Gozitan candidate at this point in time.”

While agreeing that the PL needs a Gozitan candidate, other sources questioned why the party must be forced to fall on Caruana.

“Labour swept Gozo with a remarkable majority in the last election. Can’t we possibly find another good, worthy candidate whose name has not been tainted?”

Running for MEP would not be Caruana’s only possible pathway back into politics. Abela could co-opt her into parliament once Chris Fearne moves to Brussels as a European Commissioner later this year, two sources noted.

That would also open the door to her being given a cabinet position once again.

Another Labour source said Caruana could also be given a key role within the party’s structures.

Still, a Caruana MEP candidacy would also ensure Labour has a high-profile candidate on the ballot.

While Alex Agius Saliba is a shoe-in to be elected, the party’s other approved candidates – Daniel Attard, Clint Azzopardi Flores, Jesmond Bonello, Steve Ellul and Marija Sara Vella Gafà – will all be running for the first time.

Cyrus Engerer has not yet confirmed whether he will seek re-election and both Alfred Sant and Josianne Cutajar will not be running.

What does Abela have in mind?

Robert Abela was non-committal when asked about his plans for Caruana.

When questioned outside parliament on Tuesday, the prime minister said he spoke to Caruana “frequently” but had no intention of divulging what the two discussed.

He stopped short of ruling her out as an MEP candidate, however, and was non-committal when asked if he would support her nomination were she to throw her hat in the ring.

“My job is to unite the party. I cannot close the door to talented people – rather, I must attract them to public life,” he said when asked whether he excludes asking her to run for MEP.

“I am regularly in contact with Justyne Caruana, and I mentioned her in the interview because I believe we lost her from public life, especially with respect to the vulnerable people and those who are suffering,” he reiterated.

“I believe she paid enough for her wrongdoing, and maybe even more than enough.”

Gozo MPs react

Having Justyne Caruana back within Labour could make life a bit more difficult for the party’s other Gozitan MPs, ministers JoEtienne Abela, Clint Camilleri and Anton Refalo.

All three, however, told Times of Malta they backed Abela’s call for her to be reintegrated into the party.

“I also believe the party and the country need the input of people with political and professional experience like her,” Camilleri said.

“There’s no doubt Caruana has a lot to contribute,” Refalo said.

PN’s Gozo spokesperson Alex Borg was much less excited.

“I don’t believe in U-turns,” he said. “If you take a decision, you stick to it and don’t go back.”

In Borg’s view, Abela’s overtures are nothing but a ploy to regain lost votes in Gozo, a district the PN MP says is rife with disgruntlement about the ruling party.

Independent candidate Arnold Cassola, on the other hand, did not mince his words.

“This is confirmation that Abela has no concept of what ethics in politics means,” he said, adding that his statement sent a message that nepotism was not a problem.

Labour, Cassola believes, is panicking about losing votes and is trying to get everyone on board to make amends with voters.