The Labour Party agrees with Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi’s proposal to postpone all electioneering until after the new year, The Times has learnt.
The issue was raised in cross-party talks by Labour and agreement is imminent
The party was asked to react to a proposal by Dr Gonzi to kick off the electoral campaign in the New Year, after the festive season, to avoid campaigning during an important period “for all of us”.
Parliament will be dissolved next week if maverick Nationalist MP Franco Debono votes down the Budget on Monday.
In this eventuality, both major parties have agreed that their election campaign should be put on hold until next month.
Replying to questions by The Times, a spokesman for the Labour Party said Dr Gonzi made his proposal when he was aware of an informal agreement to this sense between the parties.
“When Lawrence Gonzi spoke of postponing campaigning until after the Christmas period, he already knew there is a basis on an agreement between both parties. In fact, the issue was raised in cross-party talks by the PL, has already been discussed and agreement is imminent,” the spokesman said.
Speaking during a recorded political interview on the party’s radio, Dr Gonzi on Sunday gave the strongest indication yet that an election “early next year” was “inevitable”.
The first and most important vote on the Budget will be held on Monday after Dr Gonzi responds to Labour leader Joseph Muscat’s reply the previous week.
With the support of independent MP Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando and Nationalist backbencher Jesmond Mugliett secured, the Nationalist Party’s fate will depend solely on Dr Debono, who has already declared he will vote against if Transport Minister Austin Gatt is still in the Cabinet.
The election can be held any time between five weeks and three months after Parliament is dissolved.
Meanwhile, the Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry said it “fully supported” Dr Gonzi’s request to start electioneering after the Christmas festivities are over.
“It is in everybody’s interest to ensure that the electoral campaign is short and commences after the new year in order to ensure that the effect on the business momentum is kept to a minimum,” it said in a statement.
The chamber said it looked forward to seeing business work peacefully “in order to reap the benefits of this once-a-year occasion”.