Updated

The Prime Minister this morning called on the President and asked him to dissolve Parliament on January 7 for a general election to be held on March 9.

Dr Gonzi was greeted with applause by a small crowd in St George's Square as he walked into the Palace shortly before 10 a.m. He left at 9.50 a.m.a nd walked up Republic Street to the Auberge de Castille, where he is due to give a press conference.

The Constitution provides that: "If the Prime Minister recommends a dissolution and the President considers that the Government of Malta can be carried on without a dissolution and that a dissolution would not be in the interests of Malta, the President may refuse to dissolve Parliament."

Furthermore, the Constitution says that a general election of members of the House of Representatives shall be held at such time within three months after  every dissolution of Parliament as the President 'acting in accordance with the advice of the the Prime Minister,' shall by proclamation appoint.

Dr Gonzi earlier presided over a Cabinet meeting at the Auberge de Castille.  

Most ministers did not comment as they went into Castille.

Asked whether yesterday night was inevitable, Resources Minister George Pullicino said it would have been had somebody given greater consideration to the country’s interests instead of his own.

Newly appointed minister Francis Zammit Dimech said that one could now look forward to an interesting electoral campaign.