With a few exceptions, former ministers who formed part of the last Gonzi administration may be considered as the main losers in the shadow Cabinet reshuffle announced last Thursday. Their demotion to the backbench benefited a host of newcomers who have been assigned responsibility to shadow crucial sectors such as energy, education, social policy and the environment.
The new line-up will probably strike a chord with those who have been arguing all along that PN leader Simon Busuttil needed to be assertive.
This was especially the case in the aftermath of last year’s disappointing MEP elections in which the PN failed to gain ground after it was voted out of office with a landslide 36,000-vote majority in March 2013.
Part of this failure was blamed on the fact that important sectors like finances, energy and the environment were still being shadowed by those who headed the respective ministries when the PN was still in power. Critics argued that in the eyes of the electorate these former Cabinet members had little credibility, due to their political baggage.
Judging by the early feedback, this was the main thrust behind this week’s reshuffle.
The new line-up consists of a two-tier structure of 10 teams headed by shadow ministers, who are then assisted by a number of other MPs focusing on particular sectors within that area.
Winners
Jason Azzopardi
Apart from the two deputy leaders and secretary general Chris Said, Dr Azzopardi was the only former Cabinet member to survive. Probably, this reflected the plaudits earned when shadowing former home affairs minister Manuel Mallia, who was dismissed last month. Apart from justice he has also been given the task to be the party’s spokesman for democracy.
Mario de Marco
The deputy leader for parliamentary affairs, known for his moderate approach, is now shadowing finances in a major change of strategy, apart from being coordinator of the parliamentary group. In the Gonzi administration, Dr de Marco first served as parliamentary secretary at the Prime Minister’s Office and was later promoted to minister.
Chris Said
His appointment as shadow minister for Gozo was not a major surprise in view of the fact that both former minister Giovanna Debono and MP Frederick Azzopardi, who, like Dr Said, are elected from the Gozo district, had already announced their decision not to seek re-election in the next general election. Dr Said became PN general secretary in June 2013.
Beppe Fenech Adami
More than a win, this appointment is more of a neutral side move. The deputy leader for party affairs, whose father led the PN between 1978 and 2004, is now shadowing home affairs, after having been the party’s spokesman on the justice sector. Dr Fenech Adami was elected PN deputy leader in May 2013.
Claudio Grech
Appointed as economic affairs spokesman, Mr Grech is proving to be one of the rising stars among the newcomers of the PN’s parliamentary group, despite having a style that often goes against the grain of Maltese politicking by attempting to reach across the aisle.
Claudette Buttigieg
After silencing critics, who dubbed her venture into politics as a media stunt to attract votes, the former singer is now the party’s main spokesman on health matters. In the previous legislature, she worked as head of communications in this same ministry.
Paula Mifsud Bonnici
In spite of being a newcomer to the PN parliamentary group, she now finds herself in the front bench shadowing a substantial portfolio: social policy. Her father, Antoine, had served as parliamentary secretary for the elderly under Eddie Fenech Adami.
Roberta Metsola
After replacing Simon Busuttil when he was elected party leader, Dr Metsola rose to prominence, especially during the citizenship scheme controversy. She is now at the helm of the team shadowing European and foreign affairs.
Marthese Portelli
In all probability, the decision to appoint Dr Portelli as spokeswoman for energy, the environment and transport was one of the major surprises in the reshuffle. In this context, this might turn out to be the biggest gamble taken by the leadership.
Therese Comodini Cachia
Just a few months after being elected as an MEP, snatching the third seat in Brussels for the PN in May, when she contested her first ever election, the human rights lawyer has been chosen to shadow education and employment.
Losers
Tonio Fenech
Probably most hard hit by the reshuffle, Mr Fenech served as finance minister in the previous legislature, having served as parliamentary secretary in the ministry under former prime minister Lawrence Gonzi between 2004 and 2008. After the 2013 election, he was appointed finance spokesman. Now, he will be venturing into uncharted territory as foreign affairs spokesman as part of the team headed by Dr Metsola.
George Pullicino
Another major change was the decision to shift the former resources and rural affairs minister, who was once also responsible for the environment, from spokesman on the energy sector, to early and compulsory education, a new portfolio that specifically excludes tertiary education. In what many considered as a demotion, Mr Pullicino will be forming part of the team headed by Dr Comodini Cachia.
Joe Cassar
Having served as shadow minister for health for a few months, the former Cabinet member is now the PN’s culture and arts spokesman, forming part of the team that is headed by Dr Azzopardi. A psychiatrist by profession, Dr Cassar had served as parliamentary secretary for health at the Social Policy Ministry and was later promoted to minister of health, the elderly and community care, a post he held until the 2013 general election.
Other ‘losers’
A host of other MPs may consider themselves unlucky to be missing out.
Former Sliema mayor Robert Arrigo, known to have been vocal for being left out of the Cabinet in previous legislatures, lost the tourism portfolio and instead got SMEs, manufacturing, commerce, self-employed and cooperatives.
Leadership contestant Francis Zammit Dimech and former home affairs minister Carm Mifsud Bonnici were among those given a secondary role in the backbench.
Leadership ‘not afraid of change’
The reshuffle of the shadow Cabinet proved the leadership’s resolve to take all necessary steps to make the Opposition a credible alternative to the government, PN leader Simon Busuttil said yesterday.
Addressing the first meeting of the new shadow Cabinet at the party headquarters, he said the new members of the front bench would be expected to reach the highest standards in terms of performance.
Dr Busuttil said that on Monday he would be announcing the main three targets his party would try to achieve in the near future.
“The PN can still make a difference even though it is in Opposition and the resignation of Manuel Mallia as home affairs minister is testament to this,” he said.