Long-serving MPs Evarist Bartolo and Jose Herrera have announced their departures from the political scene, after both were not re-elected in this weekend’s general election.
Bartolo, who has been in parliament for 30 years, said that a “new season” in his life had begun now that he was not elected to Parliament.
He wished all those who were elected to Parliament well, and said that the country needs a good government and a good opposition with the full participation of different sections of the country’s population to face the coming challenges.
He thanked those who had supported him throughout the past 30 years, and said that now that he had not been elected, a new season in his life will begin.
“Every season has its own beauty,” Bartolo said.
Bartolo technically could still be elected through a casual election if Michael Falzon or Clifton Grima drop their 10th district seats, but he would have to stave off competition from new candidate Rebecca Buttigieg to do so – and it would after all be his choice anyway on whether to contest the casual election in the first place or not.
Jose Herrera meanwhile announced that the time had come for him to retire from politics, having served as an MP for 26 years.
In a short post on Facebook on Monday morning, Herrera said that every beginning has an end and thanked all those who put their faith in him for the past six legislatures.
Oliver Scicluna, who was co-opted into Parliament during Robert Abela’s tenure, was also not elected from the 2nd district, and although he may still have a chance to be elected through a casual election, he indicated that him actually contesting this may not be a foregone conclusion.
He took to Facebook to congratulate Robert Abela for the electoral win, saying that in the coming days the country will have a new Cabinet which has major challenges to fulfil. “I wish you all well and I ask you to keep your feet on the ground,” he said.
Speaking personally, Scicluna said that a few days of rest and a few days with more time for his family will now begin.
“I admit that I need some rest to get my strength back and, at the same time, decide where the next destination in my life will be,” he said.
Scicluna can still be re-elected, but he will have to win his seat through a casual election on a district where Glenn Bedingfield was also not elected and would no doubt be seeking to keep his seat.
A number of other candidates who were MPs will either have to rely on casual elections to keep their seats or have lost their seats altogether.
These include PL veteran Joe Mizzi, Anthony Agius Decelis, Rosianne Cutajar, and Jean Claude Micallef – who were all PL MPs.
On the PN’s side, Karol Aquilina, Jason Azzopardi, Toni Bezzina, Claudette Buttigieg, Kevin Cutajar, Maria Deguara, Joe Ellis, Karl Gouder, Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici and Edwin Vassallo were all not re-elected, although some will have a chance through casual elections.