Charles Mangion (left) with Gavin Gulia. Photo: Darrin Zammit Lupi

Former Labour minister Charles Mangion was elected in the casual election held yesterday to fill the parliamentary seat vacated by Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca.

Dr Mangion stormed ahead with 2,201 votes, surpassing the quota by almost 250 votes at the first count. His closest rival was former minister Gavin Gulia who inherited 1,066 votes from Mrs Coleiro Preca, who resigned her seat when she was nominated President earlier this month.

The casual election on the sixth district, which includes Qormi, was also contested by former trade unionist Manuel Micallef and Simon Saliba.

In his first comments, Dr Mangion spoke of his satisfaction at resuming a 26-year parliamentary career that was truncated last year when he failed to get elected.

“I will do my best to be loyal to the people and the country and see that the manifesto people voted for is implemented.”

When asked whether he saw himself in Cabinet, Dr Mangion said such matters were the Prime Minister’s prerogative.

“It is a hypothetical question,” he said with a smile as helpers, and even Dr Gulia, clapped to chants of Tagħna lkoll, Labour’s rallying cry for the 2013 general election.

Dr Mangion was last year appointed chairman of the State energy company Enemalta, a post he will step down from after taking the oath of office today.

“The Enemalta Act stipulates that I have to resign and I will be doing so in the coming days,” he said.

Dr Mangion was first elected in the 1987 election and was returned to Parliament in every one after that, except last year.

In 1997, he resigned as Justice Minister after assuming responsibility when a prisoner convicted of drug charges was released two weeks early following a presidential pardon.

In May 2003, he was elected deputy leader of the Labour Party, responsible for parliamentary affairs, a post he retained until 2008.

When Alfred Sant resigned as Labour leader after the 2008 electoral defeat, Dr Mangion was briefly appointed Opposition leader until Joseph Muscat took over.

ksansone@timesofmalta.com