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MT 18 June 2017

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Newspaper post SUNDAY • 18 JUNE 2017 • ISSUE 919 • PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY SUNDAY • 18 JUNE 2017 • ISSUE 919 • PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY • PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY maltatoday 'Renewal' is watchword in vibrant PN leadership contest MATTHEW VELLA A battle of 'old' and 'new' is squar- ing up in the Nationalist Party, with MPs and new faces tak- ing counsel from trusted aides and activists as to whether they should throw their hat in the ring. But "renewal" is the watchword in a party that will see a leader- ship race across its entire execu- tive and administrative councils, after losing a snap election called by Joseph Muscat, who won the day with an unprecedented, sec- ond consecutive 36,000 vote ma- jority. It is a wide open space, even though key leadership contend- ers seem to be unchanged: both former minister Chris Said and Claudio Grech, are set on a course to become PN leaders. Former junior minister Clyde Puli, 47, is another name not ex- cluding a run for the leadership. "I am considering everything… I'm thinking of what probable formations there can be in place, with enough experience to pre- sent a challenge [to Labour]. Am I inclined to consider any one of the possible openings? Yes," Puli, a sociology lecturer, declared. Puli was especially forthcoming on how he views the PN's place in the "radical centre" of the po- litical spectrum if it is to present itself as a real op- position to Labour. YOUR FIRST READ AND FIRST CLICK OF THE DAY WWW.MALTATODAY.COM.MT SUNDAY • 18 JUNE 2017 • ISSUE 919 • PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY today today • PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY today • PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY EU mobile roaming charges scrapped… but beware of other costs Fearne, Scicluna, Dalli eyeing Labour deputy leader post JURGEN BALZAN AS all ministerial roles have now been filled and defined, the only remaining question mark is who will replace Louis Grech as deputy prime minister. The decision does not fall to Jo- seph Muscat, but instead it will be the 750 or so Labour delegates who will pick the new deputy lead- er for parliamentary affairs – who will automatically become gov- ernment's second in command. Nominations for Labour's va- cancy will open later this week once casual elections are held and the parliamentary group is com- plete. At least three senior ministers are eyeing the post, namely health minister Chris Fearne, finance minister Edward Scicluna and European affairs minister Helena Dalli. All three have confirmed their intention to contest the election which will be held in mid-July to fill in the vacancy created by Grech's exit. It was in the middle of the elec- toral campaign that Grech an- nounced he would not be contest- ing the general election. "This is a very emotional mo- ment for me," Grech, standing by Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, had told party supporters. Grech was elected deputy leader in 2012, with 724 votes in favour, out of a total of 749 votes cast. 'What the PN needs' RAPHAEL VASSALLO JOSEPH Muscat enjoys the trust of the electorate because he has the power of conviction: he can persuade his own party, and the wider electorate, even in the face of mounting scepticism. In an interview with MaltaToday. former Finance Minister Tonio Fenech argues that the Nationalist party must now find a leader capable of engender- ing the same levels of public trust... while also rediscovering the party's lost sense of identity as a Christian democratic 'force for change'. But it cannot do so by rushing blindly into decisions. Now more than ever, what is needed is a period of sober reflec- tion. PGS 15-16 Chris Said Chris Fearne is seeking to ride on his popularity among Labour delegates and activists and become deputy prime minister Claudio Grech 11 Tighter rules to fi ght money laundering to affect hundreds of people in Malta 8 2 3 €1.75 Are we ready to fi ght fi re in high-rise buildings? 6

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