The Nationalist Party’s executive committee will be meeting on Saturday at the party headquarters to discuss who should replace David Stellini in parliament.

The MP is stepping down to resume his old job in Brussels.

Mr Stellini was elected in a casual election from the 13th district (Gozo) after Marthese Portelli, who was returned from two districts, gave up that seat.

This means that his resignation will prompt a co-option, allowing the PN to select any person to be appointed as an MP.

Read: Manoeuvring starts for David Stellini's seat in parliament

Karol Aquilina, a former president of the PN administrative council and an MP seen as being in the Simon Busuttil wing of the party, suggested on Facebook that the PN should retain its current representation in Gozo by nominating Kevin Cutajar to take Mr Stellini’s place.

Mr Cutajar told the Times of Malta that he would speak on the issue on Friday.

There have been suggestions in the PN that the party could opt to return Jean-Pierre Debono to Parliament. He had resigned to make way for newly-elected party leader Adrian Delia to have a seat in the House and become leader of the opposition, and his possible co-option is being seen as returning the favour.

Mr Stellini, who also serves as president of the PN's administrative council, obtained 3,600 first-count votes in the MEP elections last weekend, but failed to win a seat.