Updated 9.45am with President's reaction

Newly-elected Nationalist Party leader Bernard Grech is expected to be sworn in as opposition leader by the end of this week in time for the Budget which is scheduled for this month.

The first step will be taken on Monday (today) when the PN executive committee will be formally nominating Grech for co-option in parliament, in place of Ivan Bartolo who resigned his seat on Sunday to make way for the new leader.

On Saturday, Grech became the second PN leader in succession, following Adrian Delia in 2017, to take the helm of the party without being an MP.

However, contrary to his predecessor, Grech’s entry into parliament proves to be a formality as within hours of his election Bartolo announced he would give up his seat.

Under the Maltese electoral system the vacant seat will be filled by a straight co-option as the MP relinquishing his place in the House was elected through a casual election.

I hope that this little step will be the beginning of a renewal process both of our party as well as of our way of doing politics

It is only when Grech becomes an MP that he will be able to take the oath as opposition leader.

In a post on Facebook, Bartolo said PN members had spoken loud and clear.

“They elected Dr Bernard Grech to the top post of the party.

“Bernard is now the new leader of the Nationalist Party.

“As promised, I will vacate my seat in parliament to enable Bernard to become a member of parliament and the leader of the opposition. With thousands of party members, and an even greater number of Maltese citizens, I hope that this little step will be the beginning of a renewal process both of our party as well as of our way of doing politics.”

He said his seat in parliament was entrusted to him by constituents of the ninth district and this was a privilege he would never take for granted. 

Bartolo said he wanted to assure everyone that he intended to become even more active and committed, especially in the localities he contested.

This, he said, will give the PN the right to start gaining the lost trust and regain the confidence that it can be an alternative government.

An active Opposition is essential and expected - George Vella

President George Vella wished Grech well in his role as new party leader and head of the Opposition. 

In a true democracy, the role of an active and well-prepared Opposition, especially when it comes to parliament, is essential and expected, Vella said in a statement, who thanks Delia for his work over the past three years.