The PL on Wednesday tabled a parliamentary motion condemning "attacks" on the Speaker.

The motion was tabled after Anġlu Farrugia himself rejected PN claims of political bias and partisan interests in his running of the House of Representatives and said he was committed to the observance of Standing Orders and democratic principles.

Earlier, the Opposition called for parliament to be run "impartially, seriously, and democratically, rather than with political bias and in the partisan interests of the party in government".

Its statement followed a rowdy exchange on Tuesday between the Speaker and Nationalist MPs, notably Karol Aquilina. 

Late on Wednesday, PL's whip MP Naomi Cachia tabled a motion condemning the "successive attacks" by Aquilina.

The motion will be discussed on Monday.

In its motion, the PL calls out Aquilina's "arrogant behaviour" as partisan and unjust.

It adds that notwithstanding its criticism against the Speaker, the Opposition, in this legislature, never appealed against the 67 rulings delivered by Farrugia.

"Aquilina displayed hysterical behaviour when he viciously called Farrugia 'obscene' and 'unable to think', and he went as far as to tell him to sit on the government benches," the party said in a statement. 

When he was recently asked by the Speaker not to interrupt the parliamentary sittings, Aquilina retorted that Farrugia would have to call the police to make him leave the Chamber, the PL added.

"If Bernard Grech wants to show that he is really and truly in command of his party, and not led by his nose from the PN extremist faction, notably by Karol Aquilina, he should not only condemn this behaviour but ensure that such behaviour does not repeat itself and on Monday vote with the government.

"If Grech truly respects the country's institutions, as he says he does, then this is his moment of truth, he should walk the talk."