Prime Minister Robert Abela is considering co-opting a promising female candidate to parliament to fill the third electoral district seat vacated by Silvio Grixti rather than go through the casual election process.
Sources close to the Labour Party told Times of Malta that Abela is keen on replacing Grixti with a person of his choice who the party is backing ahead of the upcoming general election.
They said the prime minister was also keen on beefing up the number of female MPs in his parliamentary group.
Among those who came in for particular mention by separate sources with the party was Rebecca Buttigieg, contesting the general election for the first time on the ninth and 10th districts.
Buttigieg, who works in the private secretariat of Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri, is being “pushed” by the party machine as Labour’s new face on the traditionally Nationalist districts, the sources said.
Other contenders mentioned within party circles are Mosta mayor Romilda Zarb, an 11th district candidate who had canvassed for Abela relentlessly during the leadership race last year.
Another possibility for Abela is lawyer Andy Ellul, who had already been mentioned on previous occasions but Abela always preferred others, the sources said.
Ellul has been approved as a candidate for the first and third electoral districts.
Grixti, a medical doctor, resigned from parliament last week after being interrogated by the police over an investigation into irregular medical sick notes. He was questioned by the police financial crimes investigation department and released on police bail, Times of Malta is informed.
Sources privy to details of the investigation said the police are looking into sick notes and other documents that were signed by the doctor and which may have been fraudulent or irregular.
He told his Facebook followers he had resigned from parliament as his priorities went beyond political life.
“I do not want to occupy a parliamentary seat at a time when I will not be focused 100% on representing my constituents and patients,” he said.
The Labour MP was elected for the first time in the 2017 general election on the third district.
The third electoral district is said to be one that will be highly contested among Labour candidates, with Chris Fearne and Carmelo Abela already strong, and with Owen Bonnici and backbencher Jean Claude Micallef also standing a good chance of enhancing their support through most of Grixti’s voting base.
“The choice of Clifton Grima as the next education minister to replace Justyne Caruana, who resigned, was a blow to both Social Solidarity Minister Michael Falzon and Foreign Minister Evarist Bartolo,” the sources said.
“If the prime minister opts for Rebecca, she will stand an amazing chance to be elected at the next election with Grima and Falzon who are considered the top two on the ninth and 10th districts.”
On the last occasion of a co-option, Abela chose younger candidate Jonathan Attard for a place in parliament.
The Electoral Commission yesterday began receiving nominations for the casual election to fill Grixti’s seat. It will receive nominations until Friday, with a casual election planned for January 4. If no nominations are submitted, the co-option route will be chosen.