The Labour Party yesterday amended its statute to pave the way for a serving MP to become the next deputy leader.

That person is likely to be Energy Minister Konrad Mizzi, who is believed to be the favourite to take over from the current deputy leader of party affairs Toni Abela at a vote in three weeks’ time.

A party extraordinary general conference voted overwhelmingly, 393 in favour to one against, to amend the party statute so that members of the parliamentary group would be allowed to contest for the post.

Nominations for the post open today and close on February 9. Addressing the conference, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said the changes to the statute would allow for greater synergy between the party and the government.

“I feel there is a missing link. We should never mix the party with government but there is a lack of synergy. And both can be treated better if we open these elections up,” Dr Muscat said.

He said that, while the next deputy leader would have to “build on the good work done by Toni”, the person would have to breathe new life into the party.

“We want to build a party which is future-proof. One that is modern, that looks ahead, before it is too late. We need a structure that understands people have changed.”

Dr Muscat said people wanted to belong to a political movement and not part of a traditional party. He wanted a party structure that reflected this, one which, among other things, understood the importance of social media. He praised Dr Abela’s “integrity and honesty”, saying that his successor would have a hard act to follow.

“Toni made sure that we stuck to our values,” he said. Briefly referencing a saga in which a link was drawn between Dr Abela and drug dealings at a Labour Party club prior to the 2013 election, Dr Muscat said this was “disgusting”.

Toni Abela, outgoing Labour Party deputy leader for party affairs, acknowledging the applause from the delegates at yesterday’s party conference.

The evening was characterised by a series of tributes on Dr Abela's career within the Labour Party. Economy Minister Chris Cardona said his dedication to the party had left a strong impact on him. He also ruled out contesting Dr Abela’s post, as he wanted “someone younger” to step into the position.

Newly appointed Planning Parliamentary Secretary Deborah Schembri said she was certain that if the new deputy leader was a government MP, that person would be hard working and flexible as they were all “workaholics”. In a break from tradition, Dr Muscat allowed Dr Abela to close the conference.

Dr Abela’s farewell speech was the longest of the evening and he started off by saying he had wanted to step down for some time. “I had told Joseph many times that it was time for me to go but he would always tell me that that would only happen when he himself stepped down.

“To me that meant I would still be doing politics from St Vincent de Paul [retirement home]," he said to laughter and applause. Dr Abela said he had been through some difficult moments in his lengthy political career, many of which he could not yet speak of.

However, he would one day write a book about it all, he added, prompting a cheeky look from Dr Muscat across the stage.

Dr Abela is Malta's nominee at the European Court of Auditors.