A Cabinet reshuffle announced on Saturday puts Chris Fearne out of the health ministry as he is nominated to become Malta’s new European Commissioner, with Jo Etienne Abela taking his place.
Chris Bonett has been promoted to Transport and Infrastructure Minister, a position previously occupied by Aaron Farrugia who has been left out of the Cabinet.
These were some of the changes that were made public on Saturday evening after a day-long series of one-to-one meetings Prime Minister Robert Abela had with several of his MPs. The changes come into effect immediately, and took many ministers by surprise.
Fearne will remain a minister until his European appointment, but will from now on, while retaining the post of deputy Prime Minister, become the Minister responsible for European Funds, Social Dialogue and Consumer Protection.
Andy Ellul, who served as parliamentary secretary in the OPM since the election, moves under Fearne with the probability that he will be promoted to minister once the latter takes up his appointment as European Commissioner later this year.
Jo Etienne Abela has become the Health Minister but retained the Active Aging portfolio, with MP Malcolm Paul Agius Galea now appointed as parliamentary secretary responsible for active aging.
Jonathan Attard remains Justice Minister but is now also responsible for the reform in the construction sector.
The latter was previously under the responsibility of Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi, who is now Minister for Lands and the Implementation of the Electoral Programme.
Zrinzo Azzopardi also held the planning portfolio, which has now been handed over to Gozo Minister Clint Camilleri.
Chris Bonett is Transport, Infrastructure and Public Works Minister, with Omar Farrugia as parliamentary secretary responsible for public works.
Miriam Dalli remains minister for the environment and energy, but lost the enterprise sector to take on the responsibility for the Regeneration of Grand Harbour.
Enterprise now falls under Silvio Schembri, who is also minister for the economy and strategic projects. He was previously also responsible for lands, which moved under Zrinzo Azzopardi's wing.
Clayton Bartolo is now Minister for Tourism and Public Cleanliness, with Glenn Bedingfield as parliamentary secretary for the latter.
Julia Farrugia Portelli, previously Minister for Inclusion, Voluntary Organisations and Consumer Rights, is now Minister for Inclusion and the Voluntary Sector.
The remaining ministers – Owen Bonnici, Ian Borg, Michael Falzon, Anton Refalo, Roderick Galdes, Byron Camilleri, Clyde Caruana and Clifton Grima - retain the portfolios they were given in 2022.
The reshuffle, the first since the Labour Party won the elections in 2022, comes at the start of the year which is to see Malta nominating its new European Commissioner. Fearne, who had contested against Robert Abela for the party leadership in 2020, was widely seen as the favourite for the post, and so there were no surprises there.
The reshuffle also comes three months before the country is set to have a new President.
The appointment of the next President however will require a two-thirds majority approval from the House of Representatives, and it is therefore unlikely that he or she will be a current member of the Cabinet.
With the reshuffle, the number of ministers remains at 18 - with the only change being that in the transport portfolio, with Bonett replacing Aaron Farrugia. The number of parliamentary secretaries has now grown from six to eight.
The appointment of Fearne will also mean that this year the Labour Party will have a new deputy leader. The race is now on for who will replace Fearne.
The following is a list of the ministers as announced on Saturday
Robert Abela - Prime Minister
Chris Fearne - Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for European Funds, Social Dialogue and Consumer Protection
Owen Bonnici - Minister for the National Heritage, the Arts and Local Government
Ian Borg - Minister for Foreign and European Affairs and Trade
Michael Falzon - Minister for Social Policy and Children’s Rights
Anton Refalo - Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Rights
Roderick Galdes - Minister for Social and Affordable Accomodation
Silvio Schembri - Minister for the Economy, Enterprise and Strategic Projects
Julia Farrugia Portelli Minister for Inclusion and the Voluntary Sector
Clint Camilleri - Minister for Gozo and Planning
Byron Camilleri - Minister for Home Affairs, Security, Reforms and Equality
Clayton Bartolo - Minister for Tourism and Public Cleanliness
Miriam Dalli - Minister for the Environment, Energy and Regeneration of the Grand Harbour
Clyde Caruana - Minister for Finance and Employment
Clifton Grima - Minister for Education, Sport, Youth, Research and Innovation
Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi -Minister for Lands and the Implementation of the Electoral Programme
Jonathan Attard - Minister for Justice and Reform of the Construction Sector
Jo Etienne Abela - Minister for Health and Active Ageing
Chris Bonett – Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Public Works
PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARIES
Andy Ellul – Parliamentary Secretary for Social Dialogue within the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister
Alison Zerafa Civelli – Parliamentary Secretary for Local Government within the Ministry for National Heritage, the Arts and Local Government
Keith Azzopardi Tanti – Parliamentary Secretary for Youth, Research and Innovation within the Ministry for Education, Sport, Youth, Research and Innovation
Rebecca Buttigieg – Parliamentary Secretary for Reforms and Equality in the Ministry for Home Affairs, Security, Reforms and Equality
Alicia Bugeja Said – Parliamentary Secretary for Fisheries, Aquaculture and Animal Rights within the Ministry for Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Rights
Malcolm Paul Agius Galea - Parliamentary Secretary for Active Ageing
Omar Farrugia – Parliamentary Secretary for Public Works
Glenn Bedingfield – Parliamentary Secretary for Public Cleanliness