The question on the lips of most people in Malta over the festive season was who will occupy the prime minister’s seat in 2020. Will deputy prime minister and Health Minister Chris Fearne win the contest, as polls have suggested, or will backbencher Robert Abela spring a surprise to take on the top job at Auberge de Castille?
The process will take place over next weekend when 17,500 Labour Party members will vote to elect a leader who will then take over from Joseph Muscat.
After a series of impressive electoral wins, Dr Muscat announced his resignation on December 1, amid the fallout of the Daphne Caruana Galizia murder probe.
The Labour Party still has two-and-a-half years to serve its term in government.
Two contenders make process easier
The fact that only Mr Fearne and Dr Abela put their name in the hat when the period for nominations ended on December 11 meant the process to elect a leader will be somewhat easier, with only one election taking place on Saturday.
Had there been more than two candidates vying for the post, as was the case when outgoing Prime Minister Joseph Muscat was elected leader, there would have been a first election on January 7 during the party’s general conference.
A run-off between the two candidates with the highest number of votes would have then followed.
Who can vote in the election?
The January 11 election will be taking place during the party’s congress, being held between January 10 and 12. This year’s election has been open to more members than in the past, when only the party delegates could vote.
The members eligible to vote in this year’s election are those who served as delegates during the general conference held a few days before the congress, members and officials of the various committees, councillors, those who form part of the candidates’ forum as well as all those who have been paid-up members since 2015.
Any members who are younger than 20 must have paid their membership for three years running.
The party also allows those who have up to two years of unpaid membership fees to vote, as long as they settle their arrears beforehand.
What happens on election day?
On Saturday, voting kicks off at 9am and will go on until 8pm at polling stations all over the island.
There will be 13 polling stations, one for every district.
A group of early voters who for some reason cannot vote on Saturday will be casting their vote a few days before, on Wednesday.
According to the head of Labour’s electoral commission, Joe Falzon, the number of those eligible to vote could reach around 17,000 people.
As soon as voting comes to an end, the sealed ballot boxes from the 13 different electoral districts will be taken to the Labour Party headquarters in Ħamrun, where the sorting process will take place. The boxes are not expected to reach headquarters before 10pm.
…and then?
While Labour officials involved in the election process said there could be an indication over who wins the most votes by late Saturday evening, it could also be the case that this process drags on to early on Sunday morning if the result is close.
Later on Sunday, once there is an official result, the party is expected to call a press conference to announce the new leader. The new Labour leader would then address the congress at around 1pm.
An official date for the new PL leader to be sworn in as prime minister has not yet been set, though it is expected to take place by Monday, January 13.
Who are the two contenders?
Chris Fearne, 56, is a physician-turned-politician and father of three. He was appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Health in 2014 and Health Minister in 2016. In July 2017, the Labour Party elected him as Deputy Leader for Parliamentary Affairs, thus assuming the role of Deputy Prime Minister of Malta and Leader of the House.
Lawyer Robert Abela, 42, was elected to Parliament for the first time in 2017. The son of former president George Abela, he served as a legal consultant to Joseph Muscat’s cabinet.
Joseph Muscat casting his vote in the PL election in 2008.What happened in 2008?
In the last election for party leader in 2008, the favourite Joseph Muscat had beaten George Abela in the final round of the contest by winning 574 of the 875 votes cast from delegates.
In the initial round, Dr Muscat was just three votes short of winning the contest, obtaining 435 of the 874 valid votes cast, three fewer than the 438 needed (50 per cent plus one).
Dr Abela had placed second with 22.9 per cent (200 votes) while then outgoing Deputy Leader for Party Affairs Michael Falzon placed in third with 20.7 per cent (181 votes).
Evarist Bartolo and Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca obtained 3.7 per cent (32 votes) and 2.9 per cent (26 votes) respectively.
George Abela went on to serve as President of the Republic, after being appointed by the Nationalist government.