Miriam Dalli is the “best placed” and “safest bet” to replace Chris Fearne as Malta’s next European Commissioner, according to sources close to the government and the Labour Party.
It is still too early for any kind of decision, and the issue has barely been discussed internally yet, but Fearne's resignation on Friday left a gaping vacancy for the prestigious role.
Fearne stepped aside from his long-time health portfolio in January, after it was announced he would be Malta’s nominee for EU commissioner.
His dream job in Brussels was interrupted after it was revealed that he is to face charges of fraud in relation to the deal to privatise three state hospitals. Fearne maintains he is innocent of the charges.
Three sources close to cabinet cited Dalli as the ideal candidate to take on the top job, saying she ticks most of the right boxes.
She is highly regarded in the EU and has no substantial political baggage that would hinder her appointment- Cabinet member
The energy minister and former MEP knows the EU and the EU knows her, they said. Though she served as MEP during Joseph Muscat’s term, she only got a cabinet post under Robert Abela, potentially avoiding a tough grilling by MEPs.
“She is highly regarded in the EU and has no substantial political baggage that would hinder her appointment,” one cabinet member said.
When asked whether she would accept the nomination as she walked out of a PL parliamentary group meeting yesterday morning, Dalli would not commit.
“Those discussions must be held within the parliamentary group,” she said, as she walked away and into her car.
After yesterday’s meeting, the prime minister told reporters it was still too early to announce Malta’s new nominee and said the name would be announced in due course.
Fearne’s change of plans
On Friday, Fearne announced he was stepping down as minister and withdrawing as Malta’s nominee to the EU Commission.
Before his resignation on Friday, a few members of cabinet told Times of Malta it was not too late for Fearne at the EU and expressed hope he would be able to go ahead with the nomination and get the job later this year.
But others said there was no way the EU would have let him in the team of commissioners with criminal charges of that nature hanging over his head.
“We can’t afford to be humiliated in the grilling; that’s why we need someone clean. And Miriam Dalli fits that bill,” one cabinet member said.
But not all of them agree. Some officials said it would be bad for Labour if Dalli quit local politics after just four years.
“Dalli is very popular with the electorate; it will be a big hit if we lose her,” one government MP said.
The lawyer and former journalist was co-opted to the Maltese parliament in Autumn 2020 after Robert Abela became prime minister. She was appointed minister soon after.
Before that, she was a member of the European Parliament and one of Labour’s star representatives in the EU.
Following January’s surprise cabinet reshuffle, she is now responsible for the environment, energy and regeneration of the Grand Harbour. Dalli was not the only name floated as potential nominees. One MP suggested Clyde Caruana, saying he is respected in overseas circles.
Others pointed to former ministers as possible appointees, with one citing former education minister Evarist Bartolo.
Every EU member state – including Malta – gets to nominate a commissioner serving in the EU Commission for a five-year term.
Each commissioner is given a different portfolio – much like local ministerial portfolios – following grillings which will take place after the June elections.
Malta’s European Commissioner for the last five years was Helena Dalli.