Marthese Portelli has resigned from a Member of Parliament.
The MP said in a Facebook post that she has communicated her decision to the Speaker.
She did not give a specific reason for her resignation but, in a long post on Facebook, she thanked her former and current leaders Simon Busuttil and Adrian Delia for the confidence they always showed in her.
She also thanked her colleagues on the Opposition benches for the long hours of work spent together, as well as members of the government who listened to proposals and suggestions she made. She also expressed gratitude to the Maltese people who elected her from two districts.
Politics, she said, should be used for the common good. She hoped that all those who go into politics do so to do good.
She said she will treasure the seven years as an MP, during which she said she learnt a lot, met many people and contributed to the overall wellbeing of the country.
She said she never held back from criticising, and said that she had submitted some 300 proposals in different sectors, particularly the environment, planning, energy, transport, property and Europen funds.
Portelli said that she could do this because of the support from NGOs, associations, civil society and social partners, as well as professionals and other people to whom she resorted for advice.
She urged all MPs to work in the best interests of the country through the politics of persuasion and not of shouting and insults.
The two general election candidates who are next in line to replace Portelli are businessman Ivan Bartolo and Swieqi mayor Noel Muscat
Delia thanks Portelli
In a statement, Opposition Leader Adrian Delia thanked Portelli for her services to the PN over the years.
Portelli gave a lot to the PN, in every role she was entrusted with, Delia said. “She knew that politics is a service. She has always served and placed the interests of the country and the party before anything else,” he said.
Delia said he had entrusted Marthese Portelli with sensitive portfolios and she had always made the party proud. She was capable of keeping a dialogue with the stakeholders in all sectors she served in, Delia said. “She practiced the politics of dialogue, not hate and pointless confrontation. She has always believed in the politics of persuasion and has always obtained good results for the PN and for the country. She worked tirelessly in the districts she was elected from, she was close to the people, like worthy politicians should be.”
Delia said that he always knew where he stood with Portelli. She always sought to make constructive criticism without any hidden agendas. He said he hoped that Portelli would still give contribution to the party.