The voting process for the Labour Party’s major leadership roles opened on Friday, as the party’s outgoing top brass used their final speeches to call for the government to think about discussing big reforms to things such as the electoral process, euthanasia, abortion, and criminal libel.

The opening of the Labour Party’s General Conference occurred Friday evening, in a process which will see all the top places – except that of the leader – change hands.

The General Council opened with a minute of silence in mourning for former PN MP Karl Gouder, who passed away on Tuesday at the age of 45.

Speeches from outgoing Deputy Leader for Parliamentary Affairs and PL MP Chris Fearne, his role being contested by Foreign Affairs Minister Ian Borg, outgoing Deputy Leader for Party Affairs Daniel Micallef, who will be replaced by Labour MEP Alex Agius Saliba, and outgoing President Ramona Attard, whose role is being contested by Maltese Language Centre Head Norma Saliba and former mayor Alex Sciberras, followed.

The first to make his outgoing speech was Deputy Leader for Party Affairs Daniel Micallef, who saluted Gouder, and said that he managed to bring the two parties around a table together after many years.

Micallef said that the most significant moment in the Labour Party for him was in 2020, when the party members had to vote for a new Prime Minister after a crisis, which was coordinated in a professional, serious and transparent process.

He said he felt emotional when he realised the strength of party activists, delegates, and committees, who managed to elect Prime Minister Robert Abela. When Abela asked him to consider the role of deputy leader for party affairs, Micallef said it was not easy to say “yes,” but it was even more difficult to say “no,” with the premise he would work tirelessly.

Micallef said that following that, the Party worked to create an electoral manifesto, the electoral campaign of which led to the “party’s biggest win.”

He posed a question; is the party changing enough, and anticipating challenges? In the past, the party was focusing on this, now it has to be the absolute priority.

“The manifesto Malta Flimkien has the ingredients of the recipe the public wants,” Micallef said, adding that the priorities should be to be proactive rather than reactive.

He said that in the past June MEP and Local Council elections, the electorate sent several messages for the Labour party, and while past aspects added to Labour’s credibility, it must focus on what it can offer in the present and the future.

Micallef said that the next general election is closer to the one in 2022, and the party needs necessary changes, and not close itself inside a fortress, isolated from the people.

“This party in government is capable of keeping the country on the surface during a crisis which broke the world, a government led by Robert Abela did an exceptional job, when we did not expect a pandemic or two wars,” Micallef said.

Micallef said he was certain that many measures can be done immediately, or be sped up. He mentioned many reforms promised in the electoral programme, and questioned if other systems should be looked at. “Should we remain 13 districts? Should we have a single transferrable vote?” he questioned.

He spoke of voluntary euthanasia, where he said he was, and remains at the forefront so that the country can have the right to euthanasia, warning it must not become a political ball. He also said that palliative care must be improved concretely.

Micallef mentioned abortion, and despite it not being on any parties’ electoral programme, he said he has spoken clearly, that whether any political parties like it or not, abortion will eventually be legalised in Malta.

He appealed for the party to ensure an environment where more people are attracted to politics and participating in civil society issues. Micallef also appealed to delegates to express a vote of confidence in Borg and Agius Saliba, to continue leading the party forward.

Outgoing Deputy leader for Party Affairs Chris Fearne followed. He recalled his career working as a doctor, where he worked in “the best children’s school in London” – Great Ormond Street Hospital.

Fearne said that this hospital manages to attract the best talent in the field from around the world, and that is how the Labour Party should be the best in attracting the best people in politics.

“We must let those who have worked with us for a long time work with us, we must keep them, as the party has space for those who are experienced, and the youths,” Fearne said.

Fearne said that after seven years, he learnt that not everyone can be pleased, as at times, for leadership to be effective, difficult decisions which don’t appease everyone must be made. “We cannot fear these decisions, as fear brings stagnation,” he said.

He pointed out that most of today’s problems and realities are social ones, and the party started addressing the problems head-on and said that the next move for government would be for €700 million going towards the social sector, as Labour is a “socialist party.”

 “These seven years as deputy leader were of great privilege to me, and I thank all those working with me, especially those who were patient with me in the districts,” Fearne said.

Fearne noted that he has had to take a step back from the role he occupied, but said he will remain MP, and will always be a Labourite.

In her outgoing speech, Ramona Attard also reflected on her tenure as PL President, when four years ago, she accepted the PM’s invitation for the role.

Attard said that one is in a good place if they have humanity in politics. She said that all she did was for her children to have a better Malta.

She encouraged those who would like to enter the party, keeping up with today’s momentum. Attard said that whilst her children argued at home, outside, they were always united as a team.

“That is what we need to be. We argue between ourselves, but out there, we are one team, against those who want to stop our work in the interest of the country,” Attard said.

She said that Labour is a strong team which has not lost a single election in the past 11 years, and thanked former PM Joseph Muscat and Robert Abela for winning one election after the other, and continued with their work.

Attard condemned those using the Standards Commissioner role to needlessly and incessantly “attack” Ministers and their wives for being given a role for their competency, while European President Roberta Metsola could appoint her brother-in-law as her chief of cabinet without consequences. She said that institutions should not even accept investigations on persons who have solely done their job.

“The Standards Commissioner role is important and we did well in creating it, but it was not created to scare. It is time for a revision of the role so that abuse can be stopped, and it is not used as a tool of intimidation,” she said.

Attard appealed for more humanity in politics, as this has “regressed a lot.” She said that condemnation is not enough, and action must be taken as the PL is in government.

Attard also said that it was a mistake to remove prison sentences for criminal libel, and said that the fines should increase, for ruining a person’s life.

“Yes, to freedom of expression, but it should not be a tool of intimidation. The inquiry into the death of a person in the Emergency department highlighted this, that prison should be re-introduced for defamation,” Attard said, when there is intention of malicious spreading of information.

Attard said that the PL must prepare for the next general election, and to keep being united. She then appealed for delegates to vote for their preferred candidates.

Party delegates have ample time to cast their votes for the candidate vying for these key positions, as well as other positions up for grabs within the administration of the party.

Voting is between 8pm and 11pm on Friday 13 September at Labour’s headquarters in Hamrun and Sannat PL club in Gozo, and on Saturday 14 September at the same places, from 9am to 2pm in Hamrun and from 9am to 1pm in Gozo. The candidates contesting for the two major roles need a 50%+1 of the votes.

Ian Borg and Alex Agius Saliba are the two sole contenders for the two major roles which seem to have been “handpicked” by Prime Minister Robert Abela, as they are the only ones seeking approval from party delegates.

Borg is also in line to become Deputy Prime Minister, a role attached to deputy leader for parliamentary affairs, replacing Fearne who stepped down in May after being charged in connection with the Vitals’ hospitals deal.

Labour delegates had voted in favour of statutory changes which again allowed a sitting MP or MEP to contest the role of deputy leader for party affairs, which prompted Agius Saliba to contest in place of Micallef, who announced his resignation mid vote-counting for the European Parliament elections and the local council elections.

The role of Labour party president will be a battleground for Robert Abela’s choice Norma Saliba, and Alex Sciberras, a possible viable alternative for delegates, yet not on the best terms with the Prime Minister. One of the two will replace Attard, who said she was not seeking another term.