Updated 6.11pm with Labour reaction

Nationalist Party leader Bernard Grech brought Mario de Marco, Chris Said and Carm Mifsud Bonnici back into his shadow cabinet in a reshuffle that handed all PN MPs a portfolio.

Mario de Marco is now the spokesperson for tourism, taking over from his late colleague, Robert Arrigo.

Chris Said has been made the spokesperson for quality of life - a new portfolio - and Carm Mifsud Bonnici was handed the constitutional reform portfolio.

When the previous shadow cabinet was announced after the 2022 election, the three former ministers and veteran MPs were left out, prompting some to criticise Bernard Grech for unfairly leaving out seasoned politicians to favour the new entrants.

Whose portfolio has changed?

Charles Azzopardi has had cost of living removed from his portfolio and lifelong learning added to it. He also remains spokesperson for hunting and trapping. 

Justin Schembri has had trade subjects added to his education portfolio and the newest MP Albert Buttigieg was made spokesperson for 'better standard of living with a commitment against the rising cost of living'.

The new shadow cabinet seems to accentuate quality of life, standard of living and the rising cost of living, with two portfolios - Albert Buttigieg's and Chris Said's - apparently almost identical.

Who stays the same?

The others retained the portfolios they were handed after the March election.

Robert Cutajar retains his role as party whip, MP secretary and spokesperson for self-employed and small and medium enterprises. Paula Mifsud Bonnici will remain his deputy and spokesperson for active ageing.

Former deputy leader David Agius also remains deputy speaker and social policy spokesperson and Darren Carabott remains PAC chairperson and local government and public administration spokesperson.

Karol Aquilina retained the justice portfolio and Graziella Attard Previ the equality and children's rights one.

Ivan Bartolo and Ivan J Bartolo also retained their social housing and poverty reduction and economy, Air Malta and new economic sectors respectively.

Toni Bezzina remains spokesperson for agriculture and fisheries, Graham Bencini for sport and public broadcasting, Bernice Bonello for youth and EU funds, Alex Borg for Gozo and teen MP Eve Borg Bonello for climate change. 

Claudette Buttigieg remains spokesperson for civil liberties, social dialogue and the fight against diabetes, Ryan Callus for infrastructure and public works, Jerome Caruana Cilia for finance, Ivan Castillo for the maritime sector and employment, Janice Chetcuti for environment, open spaces and animal rights and Rebekah Borg for lands and consumer rights.

Former party leader Adrian Delia retained one of the most high-profile portfolios - shadowing transport, mobility, and capital projects.

Beppe Fenech Adami will continue shadowing foreign affairs and trade, Graziella Galea inclusion and the voluntary sector, Joe Giglio home affairs, security and reforms and Mark Anthony Sammut energy and enterprise.

Stephen Spiteri remains health shadow minister, Ian Vassallo retains primary healthcare and mental health, Julie Zahra retains art, culture and national heritage and Stanley Zammit retains planning, research and innovation.

'Led instead of taking the lead'

In a reaction to the reshuffle, the Labour party said Bernard Grech is being forced to act this way by MP Beppe Fenech Adami. 

"The Opposition Leader was forced to do what Beppe Fenech Adami ordered him to do on the radio a few weeks ago," the statement said.

In an interview with 103 Malta's Heart last November, Fenech Adami reportedly said Grech was wrong not to give Said, De Marco and Mifsud Bonnici a spokesperson role.

"No wonder [Grech] is not capable of keeping his word on agreements," the statement continued in an apparent reference to an ongoing row over the appointment of the standards commissioner.

"Bernard Grech continues to be led instead of taking the lead."

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