The Minister for Justice, Jonathan Attard, said Friday that the Opposition has shot down the government's second proposed Chief Justice nominee, Judge Myriam Hayman.

The Nationalist Party's position was given to the government's representatives in the latest cross-party meeting earlier on Friday. The two sides met to choose who should be Malta's next Chief Justice. The PN had already voted in Parliament against the nomination of Judge Consuelo Scerri Herrera, the government's first choice. A two-thirds majority is required for a nomination for the post of Chief Justice to be approved by Parliament.

Prime Minister Robert Abela and Opposition leader Alex Borg have been discussing who should succeed Chief Justice Mark Chetcuti in his role since  late January. Chetcuti was scheduled to vacate his post for a new Chief Justice on 4 February 2026, on his 68th birthday, since according to the Constitution, the Chief Justice retires on the day they reach that age.

Chief Justice Chetcuti has since stayed on as per a constitutional stipulation. There is presently no anti-deadlock mechanism to resolve this dispute, though the Prime Minister has recently acknowledged that this should be reconsidered in the future.

Chief Justice Chetcuti, who should have retired from this constitutional post on 4 February, will remain in office till the Labour Party and the Nationalist Party agree on his successor.

Speaking to journalists, the Justice Minister said that the PN has told the government that it does not back Judge Hayman to be the next Chief Justice, meaning that talks must continue for another nominee to be named.

Minister Attard stated that, as the Opposition did when it blocked Judge Scerri Herrera's nomination in Parliament, it did not cite any "valid reason" as to why it has decided not to back Judge Hayman to head the judiciary, even though her nomination falls in line with the criteria that both parties had agreed upon beforehand, Attard noted.

The Chief Justice of Malta hears over cases within the Constitutional Court of Malta and assigns magistrates over certain courts, effectively deciding who hears what types of cases.

This morning, PN representatives Joe Giglio and Darren Carabott stated in a party press conference that as discussions continue, both parties must express strict confidentiality - so much so that Giglio, also on Friday morning, did not disclose whether the PN still backs Judge Lawrence "Wenzu" Mintoff to be Chief Justice following the publication of his explosive letter to the Cabinet earlier this week. Mintoff was one of four names that the PN put forward, but the government has not accepted them. 

In his letter Judge Mintoff said that Prime Minister Abela was reluctant to accept any name from the Opposition benches as this would irk Labour diehards and allow PN leader Alex Borg to grow in stature.

Minister Attard stated that the Opposition is causing the delays to achieve a consensus on who the next Chief Justice should be. He said that as government enters these discussions with good will, the Opposition does so lacking bona fide.

When asked if the government is considering any other names following this update, the Justice Minister said that the government will evaluate all available options.

The Labour Party, in reaction to the news, said that the Nationalist Party continues to block the new Chief Justice appointment.

The Labour Party said that it has expressed its disappointment over the Nationalist Opposition's "official rejection of the Government's second nominee for Chief Justice, without providing any valid justification. Influenced by third parties, including extremist groups that are leading its leader, Alex Borg has spent the past week and a half wasting time and politicizing this process, even going so far as to put up billboards on Maltese streets," the Labour Party claimed, in reference to Billboards the PN erected showing a photo of Prime Minister Robert Abela next to a quote from Judge Mintoff's letter to Cabinet.

"Today, there is no doubt about who is truly using this process for partisan purposes. The Nationalist Party is mistakenly thinking that it can continue to manipulate and block this process, undermining the judiciary with uncertainty and instability in order to gain political points. In response to this conduct, the Labour Party in Government will consider all necessary decisions to protect the best interests of the country," the PL said.