Prime Minister Joseph Muscat may have one more appointment up his sleeve to give to one of the party faithful, thanks to a law dating back to 1838.

The law gives the Prime Minister the power to appoint an Archbishop should the position remain vacant for 15 days.

The law, which is still on the statute book, states: "Provided that where the said Archbishop, or Vicar Capitular of Malta fails, within the time of fifteen days after the vacancy has occurred, to propose to the Prime Minister a person or persons approved by the latter, then the appointment shall be made by the Prime Minister alone; and the administrator or administrators so appointed shall be responsible to the person or persons who shall thereafter be legally admitted under this Ordinance to such office or benefice, in the same manner as any administrator or administrators appointed by the said Archbishop, or Vicar Capitular of Malta during the vacancy of any office or benefice, now is or are by law responsible.'

Contacted, Law Commission president Franco Debono said that such a law shows the need to analyse and update some of Malta's more archaic laws.

"We are in the process of revising the laws of Malta. This law in particular is one of these laws that the Law Commission will be deciding to either retain or repeal," Dr Debono said.