Former Nationalist Party MP Karl Gouder has died at the age of 45 years old.

He died in Valletta.

Gouder was a former Mayor of St Julian's, as well as PN MP between 2010 and 2013, and between 2016 and 2022. He served as the PN's campaign manager during last June's MEP and local council elections and was the Chief Operation Officer of the PN’s media wing.

Only last Sunday, he told The Malta Independent that he was going to be contesting for the role of General Secretary within the Nationalist Party after Michael Piccinino announced he would be departing the role in order to contest the next general election.

Gouder told this newspaper that he believes that the country is in "serious need of a change and the only change is that of having a Nationalist government."

"To do this we need to keep on strengthening the party, we need to keep speaking to people and we need to keep convincing people that Malta can be a much better place," Gouder told The Malta Independent.

Born in 1979, Gouder was Malta’s first openly gay Member of Parliament after he was elected in 2010 to replace Michael Frendo, who had been appointed as Speaker.  At the time, he was also the youngest MP on the government’s side of the bench.

He was not re-elected in the 2013 general elections, but returned to Parliament via co-option as he replaced the late cardiologist Albert Fenech, who had resigned to take on a professional engagement overseas.  Gouder was subsequently appointed as the PN’s spokesperson on culture.

He was re-elected in the 2017 general elections, and was appointed as the party’s deputy Whip in November 2020 by PN leader Bernard Grech soon after he took up the post from Adrian Delia.

He was not re-elected in 2022 and opted against contesting a casual election brought about by the passing of PN stalwart Robert Arrigo, choosing instead to focus on his internal party roles.

Under his leadership, the PN’s media wing NET TV became the most followed private television station on the island -  a result shared by Gouder himself just last month, when the last Broadcasting Authority survey was issued.

In a post on social media, PN leader Bernard Grech announced Gouder’s passing and said that he had offered his and the party’s condolences to his family.

He described Gouder as someone who was “dedicated and occupied several important roles both within the PN and within its media structures.”

“At this moment, our thoughts and prayers are with Karl’s family,” the PN leader said and appealed that their privacy is respected.

Nationalist Party MEP and European Parliament President Roberta Metsola shared an image of her with Gouder and wrote that she was "devastated" at the news, and offered her condolences.

In a short statement, the Labour Party also paid tribute to Gouder's memory and offered its condolences to his family and those close to him.

Prime Minister Robert Abela wrote that he had known Gouder since their school days and said that they had grown up together. “We later became colleagues in Parliament.  Despite being on opposite benches, that childhood friendship always remained there,” Abela said.

He said that Gouder always had a sense of commitment to the community and the citizen, and that he was truly sorry about his loss. He offered his condolences to his family and friends.

President Myriam Spiteri Debono said that she had never met Gouder personally, but she said that he had observed how he acted and spoke ever since he came into the political scene.

“I must say that when he was mentioned for the post of PN Secretary General I saw it in a positive light both for the party’s and the nation’s interests,” she wrote.  “Karl, rest in peace and may your beautiful qualities shine through others,” she said.

The Malta Independent staff, management and Board of Directors extend our condolences to Karl Gouder's family