Tenth parliament since independence meets today

The government's five-year term of office starts running today when parliament meets for the first time after the April 12 general election. This is the 10th legislature since independence.

The focus of this morning's sitting will be an address by President Guido de Marco, who will map out the government's programme.

Proceedings start with the announcement of the election results, followed by the election of the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker, and the swearing in of the MPs.

Among them will be nine new faces - Mario de Marco, Clyde Puli, David Agius, Tonio Fenech, Robert Arrigo, Michael Gonzi and Joseph Falzon for the Nationalist Party, and Stefan Buontempo and Justyne Caruana for the Labour Party.

Making a return to the House after being absent in the last legislature will be Joe Brincat and Joe Abela for the MLP.

Anton Tabone was also elected for the Nationalist Party but he is expected to be re-elected Speaker for a second term.

No word has been said yet on who will become Deputy Speaker. The post was held by Nationalist MP Michael Bonnici in the last legislature but he was not re-elected on April 12. In terms of the Constitution, the Deputy Speaker is elected from among members of parliament.

Sources said the government has invited the opposition to nominate one of its own MPs for the post. Labour MP Notary Charles Mangion was Deputy Speaker for part of the 1992 legislature after a government invitation to the opposition and Mr Bonnici held the post in the 1996 legislature following a similar invitation. But the Labour opposition declined to nominate a Deputy Speaker for the 1998 legislature and Mr Bonnici retained the post.

Notary Mangion was on Thursday elected by MLP delegates as deputy leader for parliamentary affairs.

At the end of this morning's sitting, Joseph Falzon, 30, the youngest MP on the government benches, will move a motion for the House to thank the President for his address.

The motion is expected to be debated next week, after which the House will debate a motion for the ratification of the EU accession treaty.

Other business expected to be debated before the summer recess includes a bill to regulate the holding of elections for the European parliament and the Internal Audit and Financial Investigations Bill. The debate on this bill was started in March but was cut short when parliament was dissolved, and the process will have to start afresh.

Before the sitting, MPs will attend Mass of the Holy Spirit at St John's Co-Cathedral, in Valletta at 9.30 a.m.