Joseph Muscat this afternoon called for an early election after the outcome of the no confidence vote.

Speaking at a press conference, Dr Muscat pointed out that last Sunday Dr Gonzi had said that the outcome today had to be clear, durable to the end of the legislature, and unconditional.

He had failed those yardsticks and therefore Dr Gonzi should call a general election.

Dr Muscat said Labour was not in a hurry for a general election, but the further the current uncertainty continued, the greater the suffering for the country.

Dr Gonzi could stick to legal terms, but in reality, he had lost his majority in parliament, Dr Muscat said. He should not play for time to the detriment of the business sector in particular, Dr Muscat said.

This was a democratic deficit. The prime minister knew he had a huge problem of governability, despite what his clique was saying. He should not deceive himself. What had happened today in parliament was a massive slap on the face for the government.

The fact that Parliament would not meet while the government was away for the EU summit next Monday and Tuesday was very significant, Dr Muscat said.

The prime minister had today emerged from parliament with greater instability than when the sitting started. When a no confidence motion in a single minister was defeated in November because of the casting vote, the prime minister had sought a confidence vote to confirm stability. Now, Dr Muscat said, the situation was worse because the casting vote had been needed on a confidence motion for the whole government.

Dr Muscat defended his decision to seek the confidence vote. He said there was no agreement with Franco Debono about it, but the decision to seek the vote was valid because it showed that the governemnt did not have a parliamentary majority.

Referring to Dr Gonzi's comments after today's vote, Dr Muscat said the prime minister had had every opportunity to take initiatives within his own party. But from now on, he could not 'play' with the country in an effort to gain time.

He would not speculate what action the President could do after today's decision, but said the only way out of this crisis for the country was an early election.

Earlier today, Labour Party president Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi  said the government had not been able to command a majority in Parliament and needed the Speaker's casting vote. This was something which demanded action by the Prime Minister to restore stability in the country.

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