Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1544648
CONTINUES FROM PAGE 1 Galdes's claim stems from the argument that one person who voted against him didn't have a right to vote. This would mean that Galdes would've just passed the vote and would have been able to contest. On Tuesday morning, Prime Minister Robert Abela insisted that Galdes "still has a lot to offer" to the Labour Party. Ab- ela evaded the question when asked whether he agreed with his party's decision. Following the vote, Galdes claimed that he was "a victim of coordinated action by a po- litical group," adding that there was also a motive to remove him to make space for others. Galdes would have contested the sixth and fourth districts. The sixth district includes his hometown Qormi, where he enjoyed popularity. Party officials could not be contacted for comment. 6 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 29 APRIL 2026 ELECTION 2026 Prime Minister says Roderick Galdes has much more to offer Malta PRIME Minister Robert Abela has insisted that Roderick Gal- des "still has a lot to offer" to the Labour Party. On Tuesday morning, after his candidature for the next general election was rejected by the La- bour Party's executive, Galdes blamed manoeuvres within the PL for the rejection. He claimed he was "a victim of coordinated action by a political group," adding that there was also a motive to remove him to make space for others. Galdes would have contested the sixth and fourth districts. The sixth district includes his hometown Qormi, where he enjoyed pop- ularity. A direct beneficiary of Galdes's absence on the district will be Rosianne Cutajar, who is also from Qormi. During a press conference, Ab- ela thanked Galdes for his con- tribution, and insisted that he has much more to give the PL and the country in general. He evaded the question when asked whether he agreed with his party's decision. Abela told journalists that when Galdes needed to be re- moved from his post as housing minister, this was done. He then repeated that he be- lieves Galdes can contribute more to the country, albeit in a different role. Galdes resigned from his role in January but was actively cam- paigning over the past months to seek re-election, a political mis- sion that was truncated abruptly on Monday evening by the PL executive. He resigned following sever- al revelations related to his vast property portfolio. In one case Galdes bought a penthouse in Gozo at an unbelievably favour- able price from Gozitan de- veloper Joseph Portelli, whose company had benefitted from a Housing Authority scheme. But Galdes was also the target of for- mer Labour MEP Marlene Mizzi, who accused him of hobnobbing with contractors during her time as chair of Malita Investments, the majority government-owned listed company that is building social housing units. Galdes has denied wrongdoing, insisting the property portfolio was his family's investment. Galdes's claims that one person who voted against him didn't have a right to vote THE Labour Party has approved a second group of candidates who will contest the next general elec- tion, following a decision by the party's national executive. The selection process is being led by Notary Charles Mangion, who heads the Candidates Com- mission. The commission is vet- ting applications through what the party described as a rigorous process before submitting names for approval by the national exec- utive. The second group comprises 26 candidates, 13 of whom are new. The newly approved candidates are: Fleur Abela (1st district), Ra- mona Attard (6th and 8th dis- tricts), Yana Borg Debono Grech (1st and 8th districts), Jesmond Bonello (2nd and 8th districts), Georvin Bugeja (2nd district), Joseph Bugeja (1st and 8th dis- tricts), Samantha Pace Gasan (7th district), John Grech (1st and 8th districts), Remenda Grech (5th district), Olaf McKay (1st district), Francesca Zarb (1st and 11th dis- tricts), Roderick Zerafa (2nd and 5th districts), and Carlos Zarb (12th district). The remaining candidates ap- proved in this second group are: Ray Abela (1st and 3rd districts), Malcolm Paul Agius Galea (6th and 7th districts), Alicia Buge- ja Said (3rd and 12th districts), Rebecca Buttigieg (9th and 10th districts), Naomi Cachia (7th and 12th districts), Byron Camilleri (2nd and 4th districts), Katya De Giovanni (4th and 10th districts), Julia Farrugia (5th and 7th dis- tricts), Cressida Galea (1st and 8th districts), Alex Muscat (8th and 11th districts), Omar Farru- gia (5th and 6th districts), Davina Sammut Hili (1st district), and Deborah Schembri (10th and 12th districts). The Candidates Commission will continue its work in the com- ing days as the selection process moves forward. On Monday, former minister Roderick Galdes was not ap- proved to contest on the Labour ticket. He is now challenging the exec- utive vote that barred him from contesting the next general elec- tion. Labour approves second round of candidates EVA BRANNON ebrannon@mediatoday.com.mt