Stringent voting procedures

More stringent procedures were in place at yesterday's Labour Party's leadership election than in previous elections. Each ballot paper required the stamp not only of the party electoral commission, but also of the candidates.

There had been allegations of vote-tampering following the 1992 elections, which allegations were never substantiated.

The 900 delegates at the extraordinary general conference were given three hours in which to vote.

The conference, in accordance with normal procedure, consisted only of the reading and approval of the minutes of the previous conferences. No speeches were made.

Party president Manwel Cuschieri exempted himself from the chairmanship of the conference, as he is contesting next week's election for deputy leader, and Philip Borg and Joe Mizzi, who were nominated to chair the meeting, both declined. The job was eventually given to Kalkara mayor Michael Cohen.

Deputy leader George Vella, who will not be contesting the post next week, was given a standing ovation to thank him for his work in the past. No nominations were cast yesterday for the post of deputy leader, with nominations open until tomorrow. The conference to elect a deputy leader is being held next Thursday.

Alfred Sant, who was re-elected yesterday, had been elected Labour leader in March 1992, aged just 44, after the resignation of Dr Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici from MLP leader. He got 54.3 per cent of the votes in the run-off. On the first day of voting, none of the three candidates - Lino Spiteri, Joe Brincat and Dr Sant - had obtained the 50 per cent plus one vote needed. Dr Brincat had subsequently been eliminated.

The picture had been quite different after the electoral defeat of 1998 when Dr Sant had won an overwhelming 98.4 per cent of the delegates' votes, with only 13 votes against out of 810 cast.

Dr Sant started his political career as chairman of the Malta Labour Party information department in 1982. From 1984 to 1988 he was president of the MLP and contested the general elections in 1987. He was co-opted to Parliament after the death of Joseph P. Sciberras.

After he won the 1996 general elections he became prime minister and minister of the interior. He has been Leader of the Opposition since 1998.