Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1545412
5 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 17 JUNE 2026 NEWS following casual elections Parliament Government of the House Carmelo Abela gender mechanism Casual election required to fill seat vacated by Carmelo Abela Prime Minister Robert Abela Minister Parliamentary Secretary Alison Zerafa Civelli Jo Etienne Abela Anton Refalo Malcolm P. Agius Galea Ian Borg Jonathan Attard Keith Azzopardi Tanti Glenn Bedingfield Chris Bonett Owen Bonnici Silvio Schembri Byron Camilleri Clint Camilleri Clyde Caruana Rosianne Cutajar Miriam Dalli Clifton Grima Michael Falzon Julia Farrugia Omar Farrugia Chris Fearne Alicia Bugeja Said Deo Debattista Anthony Agius Decelis John Grech Nigel Vella Clint Azzopardi Flores Ramona Attard Franco Mercieca Naomi Cachia Andy Ellul Alex Muscat Mariah Meli Rebecca Buttigieg Elected following casual elections Parliament Opposition Government Elected through proportionality mechanism Speaker of the House Carmelo Abela Elected through gender mechanism Casual election required to fill seat vacated by Carmelo Abela Opposition Leader Alex Borg Prime Minister Robert Abela Minister Parliamentary Secretary Alison Zerafa Civelli Jo Etienne Abela Anton Refalo Malcolm P. Agius Galea Ian Borg Jonathan Attard Keith Azzopardi Tanti Glenn Bedingfield Chris Bonett Owen Bonnici Silvio Schembri Byron Camilleri Clint Camilleri Clyde Caruana Rosianne Cutajar Miriam Dalli Clifton Grima Michael Falzon Julia Farrugia Omar Farrugia Chris Fearne Alicia Bugeja Said Deo Debattista Anthony Agius Decelis John Grech Nigel Vella Clint Azzopardi Fl ores Ramona Attard Franco Mercieca Naomi Cachia Andy Ellul Alex Muscat Mariah Meli Rebecca Buttigieg Romilda Zarb Cressida Galea Deborah Schembri Fleur Abela Francesca Zarb Yana Borg Debono Grech Stephen Spiteri Ivan Bartolo Toni Bezzina Eve Borg Bonello Conrad Borg Manche Julian Borg Rebekah Borg Darren Carabott Jerome Caruana Cilia Ivan Castillo Adrian Delia Beppe Fenech Adami Beppe Galea Graziella Galea Joe Giglio Bernard Grech Paula Mifsud Bonnici Alex Perici Calascione Michael Piccinino Mark Anthony Sammut Justin Schembri Frank Anthony Tabone Janice Abela Chetcuti George Vital Zammit Graziella Attard Previ Jo hn Baptist Camilleri Ian Vassallo Hagi Stanley Zammit Graham Bencini Andrew Agius Bernice Bonello Julie Zahra Norma Camilleri Annabelle Cilia Marilena Gauci Miriana Calleja Testaferrata De Noto parliament looks like Robert Abela to nominate Carmelo Abela as Speaker of the House PRIME Minister Robert Abela will nominate former minister Carmelo Abela as Speaker of the House of Rep- resentatives when Malta's 15th legis- lature opens on Saturday, replacing long-serving Speaker Anglu Farrugia. The announcement was made by the government on Monday, confirming that Robert Abela will table a motion in Parliament proposing Carmelo Ab- ela for the role. Carmelo Abela, who was first elect- ed to Parliament in 1996, has retained his seat in every general election since, including the election held on 30 May. Throughout his parliamenta- ry career, he has occupied several sen- ior positions both within Parliament and government. He served as deputy speaker for more than seven years during the leg- islatures elected in 2003 and 2008. Following Labour's return to govern- ment in 2013, he was appointed gov- ernment parliamentary whip before being named minister for home af- fairs and national security in Decem- ber 2014. In 2017, he was appointed minister for foreign affairs and trade promotion, and in January 2020 be- came minister within the Office of the Prime Minister with a number of direct responsibilities. The government said Carmelo Ab- ela has informed the Electoral Com- mission that he will relinquish the parliamentary seat he won from the Third District, paving the way for his appointment as Speaker. In a statement, the government said the prime minister wished Carmelo Abela success in leading "the coun- try's highest institution, a key pillar of our democracy". The appointment will bring to an end Anglu Farrugia's 13-year tenure as Speaker. Farrugia was first elected Speaker in April 2013 following La- bour's landslide election victory and was subsequently re-elected to the role after the 2017 and 2022 general elections. During his time in office, Farrugia presided over three legislatures and oversaw a period marked by signifi- cant political turbulence, including the fallout from the assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, constitutional reforms and height- ened scrutiny of parliamentary stand- ards and conduct. A lawyer by profession, Farrugia en- tered Parliament in 1996 as a Labour MP and served as deputy leader of the Labour Party between 2008 and 2012. He resigned from the post following Labour's electoral defeat in 2008 but remained an influential figure with- in the party before being chosen as Speaker after Labour returned to gov- ernment. The government thanked Farrugia for what it described as his "impecca- ble service" to the country during his tenure as Speaker over the past three consecutive legislatures. Carmelo Abela