The government this evening failed to muster a majority in two parliamentary votes and, for the first time in 11 years, had to rely on the Speaker's casting vote.
The votes were on opposition amendments to motions for the setting up of new Select Committees tasked with drawing up regulations on assisted procreation and the re-codification of the laws.
The government had proposed that the committee on assisted procreation should be chaired by government MP Jean-Pierre Farrugia while the committee on the re-codification of the laws should be be chaired by government MP Franco Debono. In both cases, the committee members were to be two MPs each from the government and the opposition.
However Labour MP Anglu Farrugia moved amendments for the committees to be chaired by the Speaker so that the two sides of the House could then be equally represented by two MPs each.
The amendments were not a surprise and had been printed on the Order Paper for the sitting. However when the first vote was taken after a division, the outcome was 32 votes in favour and 32 against.
The Speaker, Dr Louis Galea, who could have immediately opted for the casting vote, instead suspended the sitting at 9.25 p.m. to consider his position. The sitting resumed at 10.20 p.m. when Dr Galea explained that he was casting his vote in line with parliamentary practice as explained in Erskine May. He was therefore voting against the opposition amendment so that the original (government) motion could be retained.
Labour MP Alfred Sant said he was seeking a clarification over whether there had been similar circumstances where the Speaker cast his vote. Dr Galea said the last casting vote was in 1998. Dr Sant said the circumstances were different. Dr Galea said there could be no further debate.
The vote on the second Opposition amendment also ended in parity and the Speaker again cast his vote.
The absent MPs were George Pullicino, Carm Mifsud Bonnici and Franco Debono for the government, and Charles Buhagiar and Joe Debono Grech for the Opposition.
Mr Pullicino is in Brussels for a meeting of EU Agriculture Ministers while Dr Mifsud Bonnici is in Paris for a conference on immigration.
Mr Debono returned to the House before the final votes were taken and the motions as proposed by the government were then approved with 33 government votes in favour and 32 against after a vote where, following an Opposition request, every MP declared his vote.
The sitting ended shortly before midnight. The House meets again on January 11.