Ten MEP candidates for MLP to be vetted by Party

Labour deputy leader for party affairs Michael Falzon said yesterday it was possible that not all the ten candidates who have applied to be considered for next June's election to the European Parliament will make it to the party's extraordinary general conference on Tuesday.

The ten candidates who came forward had first to be screened by the MLP's Disciplinary and Vigilance Board and then be approved by the party's national executive. Candidates had to obtain at least 70 per cent of the vote by the national executive to make it to the next hurdle on Tuesday.

"The selection process is still on. On Tuesday, each candidate would have to net at least 70 per cent of the vote by the party delegates. Although the party has capped the number of candidates to eight, it does not mean that eight will necessarily be chosen.

"Those who do not garner 70 per cent of the vote will be out of the race," Dr Falzon added.

Each of the party delegates who number about 870 will be able to vote for each candidate.

Dr Falzon was answering questions by reporters during a news conference at the MLP's headquarters in Hamrun on the process leading to the approval of MEP candidates by the party.

He felt that the election for Members of the European Parliament will represent a learning curve for the parties taking part, which include also the Nationalist Party and Alternattiva Demokratika.

"The party will do its utmost to get as many Labour candidates elected as possible out of the five places available. Malta will be considered as one district and the system used will be the single transferable vote as in the general election.

"I will certainly be involved in strategy and direction of the election campaign which will be nationwide," he said, adding that the fact that he now occupies one of the three leadership seats in the party would not hinder him from taking an active part in the election campaign.

Dr Falzon was the main election campaign manager for the MLP in the last two general elections.

The candidates that have applied to be considered for the MEP election are: Jimmy Magro, outgoing Labour Party general secretary; Louis Grech, former Air Malta chairman; Joseph Muscat, editor of Maltastar, the MLP's electronic newspaper; Super One journalists Glenn Bedingfield and Gino Cauchi; John Attard Montalto, Labour MP; Manwel Cuschieri; outgoing party president; anti-EU campaigner Sharon Ellul Bonici; former Labour MP Sandro Schembri Adami; and Labour veteran Anton F. Attard.