Mario de Marco waited until the last minute to submit his nomination. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

Mario de Marco kept his party guessing about his intentions until 10 minutes before the deadline yesterday before submitting his uncontested candidature for the post of Nationalist deputy leader for parliamentary affairs.

Dr de Marco walked into the PN headquarters in Pieta at 1.50pm, shortly before the close of nominations.

Earlier, two other MPs put forward their candidature for the post of deputy leader for party affairs: Beppe Fenech Adami and Claudette Buttigieg, who will go head-to-head in a May 25 contest.

All three candidates said they were offering their nomination “out of service to the party”.

Despite declaring earlier that he would not contest the deputy leadership, Dr de Marco was strongly encouraged to do so after his unsuccessful leadership bid.

Here I am in the interest of the party

Reporters were kept guessing till the very last minute and even party aides seemed uncertain.

In a brief comment to the press after presenting his nomination to general secretary Paul Borg Oliver, Dr de Marco reiterated he would serve “whichever role” the party needed him in and “here I am in the interest of the party”.

Claudette Buttigieg. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

He said he had not been pressured into contesting the post.

“I received many messages from councillors, activists and members of the public, encouraging me to submit my nomination and I felt I had to take heed of their advice and support,” he told Times of Malta.

He joked that his last minute submission was “in keeping with tradition”, quipping that even for the leadership contest he had filed in the nomination late.

The parliamentary affairs post will be uncontested, unlike that of the party affairs.

Beppe Fenech Adami. Photo: Jason Borg

For the first time in the PN’s history the deputy’s post is being contested by a woman. A former popular TV presenter and singer, Claudette Buttigieg said she hoped councillors would not vote for her because she is a woman, but on her competence and the fact she was a “people’s person”.

“A politician should not be judged on gender or profession,” she stressed, adding that she had been involved in the party behind the scenes since her university days.

With Dr Fenech Adami the clear favourite to win the party affairs post contest, Ms Buttigieg still submitted her nomination, saying: “I love challenges. And this is a serious challenge. I have huge respect for Beppe and the Fenech Adami family, but I am also sending a message that anybody can be in politics.”

Dr Fenech Adami, who was the first to present his candidature, said he was submitting his nomination out of love for the party.

He said that at no point did any one pressure him to contest any of the two posts or to withdraw his candidature.

Asked if he sought the advice of his father, former PN leader Eddie Fenech Adami, he said: “My father told me ‘if you think you should go for it, do so’.”

He said the fact that he is the PN icon’s son did not necessarily give him an edge.

“I am putting my name on my own merits, but maybe people expect of me as much as they expected and got from him,” he said.

He recalled his 35-year climb up the party ladder, quipping that he started out sticking the labels on party pamphlets.

He said he was opting for the party affairs role because he knew “exactly” how the party worked and felt he could contribute more in this role.

All three contenders said that they were all in agreement with the introduction of two party deputy leaders, sanctioned by the executive last Sunday, after being proposed by new leader Simon Busuttil.