Last week, the Malta Labour Party elected its new leader, Joseph Muscat, who has spent the last few days celebrating his victory by meeting Labour activists and supporters, and making appearances on local television stations.

The 900 or so MLP delegates will today be called to vote again, this time to elect the two deputy leaders who will flank Dr Muscat at least for the next five years, that is when the 2013 election will be held.

It is step two of a long process that started soon after the election loss last March and, although today’s elections have not gripped the media’s attention just as much as the election for the top post did, the way the MLP delegates will be voting today will also give a clear indication as to how the MLP intends to function from now onwards.

Both outgoing deputy leaders Charles Mangion and Michael Falzon opted not to contest for their post this time round. Dr Mangion is still Opposition Leader until Dr Muscat is co-opted to Parliament while before the MLP leadership election, Dr Falzon immediately said that if he is not elected leader he had no interest in retaining his post and will continue working as an MP.

Three Labour MPs will be contesting the post of deputy leader for parliamentary affairs – Carmelo Abela, Chris Cardona and Anglu Farrugia. There was initially a fourth candidate, but after submitting his nomination over the weekend, Jose Herrera withdrew it on Monday, citing personal reasons.

There will then be four candidates vying for the post of deputy leader for party affairs. Toni Abela, Clyde Joe Cassar, Gavin Gulia and Joe Mifsud.

The campaign embarked upon by the seven candidates was very low-key when compared to the one that was made by the candidates contesting the post of MLP leader. But there is no doubt that all contestants have worked silently among the delegates in order to gain enough support for them to be elected.

Of course, Dr Muscat has kept himself out of making public declarations as to who he prefers to work with, and rightly so too. Dr Muscat has said over and over again that he is prepared to work with everyone and, as a leader should do, has refrained from making public statements on the matter.

But it is probable that the candidates who are seen as being closest to Dr Muscat will be the preferred choice for many of the delegates who will be casting their vote tonight, and maybe tomorrow also if nobody obtains the 50 per cent plus one required in the first ballot this evening.

Both Dr Abela and Dr Falzon, who between them obtained just over 40 per cent of the first vote taken last Thursday, have openly accused the Labour Party machine of pushing Dr Muscat for the leadership post. This same machine has, at least on the surface, kept its distance from the race for the two posts of deputy leader.

Yet the delegates know that they must give Dr Muscat the right support. Dr Muscat on his own might be enough to gather the support required to tilt the balance in Labour’s favour when the time comes, but by having two people by his side who offer him advice and are committed to the same cause, Labour’s chances of winning the next election grow.

Still, Labour’s regeneration process will not stop this week when the leadership trio is formed. The MLP must continue to renew itself more deeply, and several Labour exponents are calling for changes within the administration, which is deemed to share the responsibility of Labour’s election defeat.

That will be step three of the process.