Labour MEP Miriam Dalli has refused to comment on speculation that she is being touted as Joseph Muscat's successor in parliament.

Questioned following a conference at PL headquarters on Saturday, Dalli declined to discuss the speculation and said that she did not want to jeopardise the by-election process under way to fill Muscat’s vacated seat in Malta’s parliament. 

She also referred to her current serving role as an MEP as a reason for not commenting on speculation. 

MEP Miriam Dalli declines to comment on "speculation" linking her to the vacant seat in the Maltese Parliament. Video: Mark Zammit Cordina.

Prime Minister Robert Abela is understood to be keen on co-opting a party heavyweight to fill the seat which his predecessor Joseph Muscat left vacant when he retired from politics last week. 

Sources close to Labour told Times of Malta this week that Abela was especially keen on luring Dalli, who was reelected to the European Parliament with a record number of votes last year, back to Malta.   

Dalli is understood to have discussed the matter with Abela in recent days. 

During the press conference on Saturday, Dalli and Labour MP Ian Castaldi Paris attacked PN MEPs Roberta Metsola and David Casa, saying the two were guilty of double standards over a rule of law vote concerning Bulgaria.

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