The government’s fate will be decided today week in Parliament when a vote of no confidence is expected to be taken after 10 hours of debate that will start on Monday evening.
At yesterday’s meeting of the House Business Committee, which sets Parliament’s agenda, the government and the Opposition agreed to debate the no-confidence motion presented by Labour deputy leader Anġlu Farrugia in four consecutive parliamentary sittings.
The first signs of an agreement came after a meeting of the Nationalist Party parliamentary group that was held before the House Business Committee.
Addressing journalists outside the PN headquarters, party whip David Agius said the group had agreed to hold the debate next week with a vote on Thursday at noon.
The parliamentary group’s decision signalled a change in the government’s stand. Until Monday, Leader of the House Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici was insisting the debate starts next Monday without a time frame for its conclusion.
Mr Agius said the government’s list of speakers had not been finalised and there had been no contact with Nationalist backbencher Franco Debono, who is threatening to vote against government, over the parliamentary debate.
Sources told The Times that the parliamentary group was resigned to the fact that mediation efforts with Dr Debono had failed.
However, the group ruled out the possibility of Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi resigning before or even after Thursday’s vote, irrespective of its outcome.
The debate on the no-confidence motion will start on Monday and is expected to continue in the evening on Tuesday and Wednesday, ending on Thursday morning with the vote taking place at noon.
The government was allotted nine hours of debating time while the Opposition was allotted one and a half hours.
The atmosphere in yesterday’s House Business Committee was starkly different from the two previous meetings which were characterised by prolonged arguments and disagreements.
Yesterday’s afternoon meeting was closed within 15 minutes, unlike the two-hour sessions held on Monday and Thursday of last week.
Both sides came to the Committee having agreed to a 10-hour debate on the Opposition motion of no confidence.
Dr Mifsud Bonnici explained the agreement and pointed out that the Opposition wanted an additional 30 minutes to speak, in addition to their original request of one hour.
Labour whip Joe Mizzi said both sides agreed to be “flexible” to ensure that any MP wishing to participate would have the chance to do so, even if this means stretching the debate beyond normal parliamentary hours.
Election timeframe
The country could be heading for an election as early as March 3 if the no-confidence motion garners a parliamentary majority today week.
According to the Constitution, if the motion passes, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi will have three days to resign or advise the President to dissolve Parliament and call an election.
But with the Nationalist Party parliamentary group yesterday ruling out the possibility of Dr Gonzi resigning at any stage, the only option would be to call an election.
If Dr Gonzi opts for a short 33-day campaign like the 2008 general election, the first possible date for an election will be March 3. However, this may be shifted to March 10 when half the country is expected to vote in local council elections.
But if Dr Gonzi opts for the maximum period allowed by the Constitution – three months from the dissolution of Parliament – an election could, at the latest, be held on April 28.
Effectively, the Prime Minister may choose any Saturday in March or April to hold the election.