Former Minister Jesmond Mugliett said at a meeting of the PN parliamentary group today that he does not intend to be a candidate at the next general election.
He revealed his intentions during a discussion about voting in the divorce debate and its consequences on the electoral chances of MPs.
Following publication of this story - confirmed by a number of persons in the room - Mr Mugliett said the information had been “leaked selectively” by someone with an agenda, which only reflected the usual negativity in his respect from certain quarters.
“I made my comments after one particularly vociferous MP – I will not mention his name because I admire him – said that the party should respect the electorate and move on by voting yes, rather than create another issue out of this. He said that unless the vast majority of MPs, including Cabinet, voted yes, he might as well not contest the next election because the few who do vote yes will be singled out and seen as going against the party.”
“This is when I said that I don’t share these preoccupations because I do not have to make the same considerations... My comment was not so explicit,” Mr Mugliett added.
Asked if he would contest the next election, Mr Mugliett said: “I will be more explicit about my position in the future.”
Mr Mugliett has been an MP since 1996 and served as parliamentary secretary for youth affairs before being appointed Minister of Youths and the Arts in 2003 and later Minister for Roads and Urban Development.
He was not given a Cabinet post after the last general election.
Mr Mugliett has been a vociferous critic of the government over its handling of the issue of 'black dust' (soot) appearing in various parts of the south of Malta, notably Fgura.
He also publicly criticised the government over its handling of the ministerial pay raise.
He also joined Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando in voting for an opposition motion for the holding of the divorce referendum.
More recently, Mr Mugliett was appointed to a PN committee to consider possible amendments to the Divorce Bill.