Opposition repeats parliament walk-out

Updated 6.20pm with Labour reaction

Opposition MPs walked out of Parliament for a second day on Tuesday as the House continued to debate a government motion censuring Nationalist MP Karol Aquilina for his behaviour last Tuesday.

Opposition leader Bernard Grech said the Opposition was continuing to insist that the motion was undemocratic.  

The motion accuses Aquilina of using offensive language against Speaker Anġlu Farrugia and displaying extreme behaviour that breached parliamentary rules.

Grech has denounced the motion as a politically motivated attack, claiming it was part of a broader effort by the government to silence dissent and undermine democracy.

Last week, the Nationalist Party issued a statement strongly criticising Farrugia and calling for the House to be led by a Speaker who was impartial and fair.

In an interview on NET TV, Grech said the government wants to use Parliament for its propaganda.  

On Monday, Prime Minister Robert Abela hit out at the Opposition for "atrocious" attacks on members of the judiciary and the Speaker, saying such behaviour was dangerous in a democracy.

Abela said there was so much infighting in the PN that the Opposition could not take a position on how to vote in this debate. The only compromise that could be reached was to walk out of the chamber.

The Opposition returned to the Chamber on Tuesday once the debate on the censure motion was concluded. 

Labour: Grech was left alone 

In a brief statement, the Labour Party noted that Grech had addressed journalists outside parliament alone. 

The PN leader was "isolated" and "defeated", it said.

"Karol Aquilina used Bernard Grech for his own political ends, anointed himself leader, and then left him out in the cold."