[attach id=220198 size="large"]George Abela[/attach]

President George Abela yesterday accepted the Prime Minister’s advice to dissolve Parliament on January 7, as agreed with the Opposition following the Budget rejection on Monday night.

After a 45-minute meeting at the Palace, Dr Abela met Opposition leader Joseph Muscat, then met Speaker Michael Frendo and had another meeting with the Chief Electoral Commissioner.

A source knowledgeable in constitutional procedures said it was “unusual” for the President to meet the Speaker and the Opposition leader on the same day that he was advised to dissolve Parliament.

But the situation may have been prompted by the advice to go ahead with the constitutional process in a month’s time, which represented a break with tradition.

“It has always been the case that the President issued the relevant writs to dissolve Parliament, call an election and kick-start the electoral process on the same day he received the advice,” the source told The Times.

The Constitution clearly states that the President has to act on the advice of the Prime Minister.

Yesterday, Dr Frendo said: “The President requested a meeting with me to discuss the events of yesterday’s parliamentary sitting and the circumstances relating to it.”

The Prime Minister reiterated that the election campaign would begin on January 7, after the Christmas season, for an election to be held on March 9.

Dr Muscat confirmed his agreement with the Prime Minister about when Parliament is to be dissolved.