Prime Minister Robert Abela said Monday that there is a very clear divide in the Opposition, that the only compromise they could reach was to walk out of Parliament, after the Labour Party presented a motion which condemned PN MP Karol Aquilina's attacks against the Speaker of the House.

On Monday, Nationalist Party MPs walked out of the Parliament chamber in protest, denouncing a PL motion that condemned Aquilina for his recent actions towards Speaker Anġlu Farrugia.

Opposition Leader Bernard Grech on Monday described the motion as a fascist and vindictive political vendetta towards the Opposition and towards all Maltese and Gozitan citizens, accusing government of "taking over" the institutions.

After the Opposition left Parliament, the plenary debate began. In his speech, Abela condemned the Opposition's actions, arguing that the walkout reflected internal divisions within the Nationalist Party.

"The parliamentary group was split and could not reach an agreement on how to vote, so they decided to leave," Abela said, adding that there were many PN MPs who did not support Karol Aquilina's conduct, mentioning PN MP Alex Borg who he said had called the Speaker to express his solidarity.

Abela said that Grech chose to abdicate from the debate and leave the room. Abela expressed solidarity with the Speaker, who he said is a person of correctness, integrity, and works with decorum.

The Prime Minister accused the PN of weak leadership, questioning Grech's stance on the issue, and said that the PN does not know what they stand for, suggesting that the party was fractured.

Abela described Aquilina as the "de facto leader" of the PN, saying he did not deserve the title of "Honourable," and with his attitude, he will "end up like Jason Azzopardi."

He also criticized the party's "incestuous relationship" with the civil society NGO Repubblika, which he referred to as "extremist."

"It is to our advantage if they continue like this, but it is not healthy for democracy," Abela said.

Abela also took aim at former PN MP Jason Azzopardi, accusing him of undermining the judiciary's integrity when appealing the rejection of his request for a magisterial inquiry accusing Ministers and their wives of crime.

"The PN and Jason Azzopardi are one and the same. Twice they gave him airtime on NET TV on the same day his requests for magisterial inquiries were denied by the court," Abela said.

Abela continued that both the judiciary and the Speaker have been subjected to vicious attacks by the PN.

He said that the PN is being led by many captains, meanwhile the ship is moving in all directions, saying the PN does not know what it stands for, failing to present itself as the alternative government.

"Grech lost all form of control of the Opposition, and this side is the only movement which is capable of leading the country forward," Abela said, adding that while it is capable of a politics of attacks, it does not believe in it, but believes in bettering the peoples' quality of lives, while expressing solidarity with the Speaker.