Schulz 'defended Muscat from press attacks'

The president of the Party of European Socialists has failed to condemn Martin Schulz's support of Joseph Muscat, as he had been asked to do by the other contenders for the leadership post who were aggrieved by that endorsement.

In a short reply addressed to the contenders (Dr Muscat included), Poul Rasmussen said that his party does not take positions on candidates of its member parties as leadership contests such as Labour's are an internal matter.

Mr Rasmussen instead characterised the comments on Dr Muscat made by Mr Schulz, the president of the Socialist Group within the European Parliament, as really an attempt to defend Dr Muscat "from attacks in the right-wing press".

The letter comes in response to an angered complaint made by Michael Falzon to the PES last Friday, on behalf of his fellow leadership hopefuls George Abela, Evarist Bartolo and Marie Louise Coleiro Preca, following Mr Schulz's endorsement of Dr Muscat in a surprise press conference.

The letter, sent on the same day as the press conference, called for the group to condemn and disassociate itself from the endorsement.

"This act, in our opinion, amounts to interference in our party's internal matters," Dr Falzon wrote, going on to call the endorsement "deeply offensive, totally irregular and highly unethical".

Mr Rasmussen replied: "I wish to make clear that the Party of European Socialists does not and never has taken any positions on leadership candidates of our member parties. As PES President, I consider that this is a matter for national party members themselves to decide, in accordance with the election rules of each party.

"That is also the conviction of Mr Schulz. I have been informed that Martin Schulz was defending Mr Muscat from attacks in the right-wing press and (Mr Schulz) stated that all candidates were valid in this leadership election."

Mr Rasmussen wished all the candidates the best for the election.

In the press conference Mr Schulz had said: "The Malta Labour Party has a chance of being led by a man who has gained very important experience in European institutions and how to represent the specific interests of Malta, the smallest EU member state and, in doing so, influenced the Socialist Group."

Asked whether he thought that his support for Dr Muscat was unethical or discriminatory in respect of the other contenders, he had replied that he did not think so, adding that he thought all candidates were valid and whoever won was acceptable to him.

The reaction of the other contenders to the endorsement, however, has led Dr Muscat to cancel other endorsements he had lined up, citing the "malaise" that Mr Schulz's support has created within the party.

He qualified that this didn't mean he agreed with the position taken by the other candidates, insisting that such endorsements are common practice in democratic countries, but he would rather not further the acrimony.