Opposition leader Lawrence Gonzi has urged the prime minister to nominate an MP from the government benches to serve as Speaker, saying that not doing so would show disrespect for the Constitution in view of the nine-seat government majority, which should have been seven seats had vote-counting errors been corrected.
Dr Gonzi, himself a former Speaker from outside Parliament (when the parliamentary majority was smaller), made his comment in a Radio 101 interview.
Prime Minister Joseph Muscat has not indicated who he intends to nominate to preside the House, but former PL deputy leader Anglu Farrugia, who did not contest the election after resigning his party post, has said he would consider the position if it was formally offered to him. He had a brief meeting with Dr Muscat two weeks ago.
Also being mentioned as possible Speaker is former Deputy Speaker and shadow minister Carmelo Abela, who was surprisingly not given a Cabinet post.
A Speaker who is also a sitting MP loses his original vote but has a casting vote when there is a tie.
Dr Gonzi said his government always took its decisions in the national interest, even when it knew it would not be popular. He admitted, however, that there had been some mistaken decisions.
The PN, he said, would study the reasons for its defeat, learn its lessons and look to the future with confidence.
He was assuming responsibility for what had happened, because he was responsible for the good decisions which had ensured that the country remained strong, and he was also responsible for any mistakes.
Among the factors which had contributed to the PN defeat, he said, was the fact that the party had been in government for a long time. Other reasons were the cohabitation law had not been enacted, the oil procurement scandal, hunting and trapping, the bus service reform and the Mepa reform, which although important, had not immediately yielded the expected benefits.
Dr Gonzi reiterated that the Opposition would be constructive in its criticism of the government.
He referred to the appointment of the Labour Party's former CEO to the top post at Transport Malta on the recommendation of the prime minister and said this contrasted with Labour promises of Malta Taghna Llkoll and the way how Labour had said appointments would be made. He wondered what would have happened had he appointed former PN general secretary Joe Saliba to a similar position.
Dr Gonzi also insisted that it would be wrong if ministers or parliamentary secretaries were to be allowed to do private work, since their activity should focus exclusively on government business. This would also ensure that there was no breach of ethics and no conflict of interest.