Franco Mercieca says he regrets serving in 2013 cabinet

Newly elected Labour MP Franco Mercieca said he made a mistake accepting a parliamentary secretary role when his party was first elected to government in 2013.

Mercieca formed part of then prime minister Joseph Muscat’s executive team, serving as parliamentary secretary for the care of the elderly.

But the eye surgeon resigned in 2014 amid controversy over whether he could continue to practise his profession while holding government office.

After 2017, the Gozitan stepped away from politics but made a comeback in this electoral campaign, managing to get elected as an MP from the 12th district, which includes Mellieħa, St Paul’s Bay and Mġarr.

Asked if he regretted resigning 12 years ago, Mercieca said: “Not at all. I think it was the right decision. The mistake I made was agreeing to form part of the cabinet. If I had to go back, I would have decided to remain a backbencher,” Mercieca told Times of Malta.

At the time, Mercieca felt he thought he could manage to balance keeping his practice while fulfilling his secretariat role.

“It would have been better for me to remain a backbencher because I would have been able to stay in the political arena and, when I came to a point like where I am now, I could have contributed more,” Mercieca said.

“The fact is I got burned too early,” he said.

In his video interview, Mercieca pointed to the fact that he had four teenage children at the time of his appointment in 2013.

“In 2013, with four teenagers, my financial needs were higher than today, with four grown-ups all in employment. That the salaries of MPs and cabinet members are ridiculously low should be mentioned,” he said.

This time around, Mercieca said he is willing to serve in an executive role should he be asked throughout the legislature.

Back in 2013, Mercieca was one of the three PL successful candidates who ran on the Gozo district.

‘Both parties have different ideas to me on Gozo’

Asked why he did not contest the Gozo district, Mercieca said he disagrees with Labour’s ideas for Gozo.

“Both my party and the PN have different ideas on Gozo from myself. I believe in a permanent link between Gozo and Malta, which would give us all equal opportunities. On the other hand, the parties believe in positive discrimination in favour of Gozitans.”

I believe in a permanent link between Gozo and Malta, which would give us all equal opportunities

“That’s why, in terms of ideas, I do not wish to remain attached to Gozo because I do not agree with the PL on Gozo.”

The other reason he pointed out is that there was an opportunity to contest the 12th district after two MPs who made it to parliament on the district announced they were not contesting this year.

Michael Farrugia and Clayton Bartolo, the two PL MPs elected on the district in 2022, both stayed out of the electoral race in 2026.