The process for the holding of a casual election to fill the seat vacated by John Dalli started today with the publication of the writ by President George Abela.

Dr Abela directed the Electoral Commission to hold the election on the sixth electoral division, from where Mr Dalli was elected.

The writ was carried in an extraordinary issue of the Government Gazette published by the Department of Information.

Speaker Louis Galea's nomination to the European Court of Auditors has left only two people with a chance of replacing Mr Dalli in Parliament: Siġġiewi Mayor Robert Musumeci and Żebbuġ local councillor Peter Micallef.

Dr Micallef has said he would "probably contest" the casual election while Mr Musumeci has not declared his intentions. Unconfirmed reports have said that the PN has asked him not to stand.

The election will have to be held even if there is only one candidate, and he will need to achieve half the quota in order to be declared elected. Should that not happen, the government will be free to co-opt a person of its choice to the House.

The Government Gazette also features the appointment of Joseph Cassar as minister. Dr Cassar was sworn in this morning.

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