Veteran PN MP Mario De Marco will not be on the ballot sheet in the upcoming general election, as candidate nominations closed on Monday evening.
This signifies the end of a 23-year political career for De Marco, who has been in Parliament since 2003 having followed in the footsteps of his father, former President and Minister Guido de Marco.
De Marco has consistently been elected on the 1st electoral district, which includes his native Valletta, and addressed a PN campaign activity in the capital city on Monday evening.
In his speech, De Marco said that he had first contested for election because he dreamt of achieving a European Malta, and said that it had been his greatest honour to serve in Parliament for so long.
He said that he was stepping aside because he felt that it is time “to give space for others to take on the responsibility of being an MP with more skill, energy, and commitment than me.”
“Nobody is indispensable, and that definitely counts for me. Renewal is a natural process of life; it is wrong if we try to obstruct it,” he said.
He said that the people are expecting integrity above all else from their politicians, adding that nobody without integrity should approach politics. He also stressed the need for respect, and sent well wishes to Labour Party candidate Omar Rababah, saying that “racism has no place in our country.”
De Marco said that he would now start a new chapter where he would use his experience to continue to serve.
PN leader Alex Borg thanked De Marco for his “phenomenal contribution” to his district, the party, and the country. “I am proud to be here with you today, and I am proud that you are here, near me, working for the party and working for a new breath for this country,” Borg said.
De Marco, a lawyer by profession, served as a backbench MP between 2003 and 2008 before being made Parliamentary Secretary for Tourism in 2008 and then promoted to Minister for Environment, Tourism, and Culture in 2012.
In 2013 he became the party’s Deputy Leader before then taking a step back from the political spotlight due to health issues. In 2022, De Marco was left out of Bernard Grech’s shadow Cabinet before returning to the fold a year later.
He is the latest in a list of sitting MPs who will not be contesting for re-election at the end of this month.
PN MPs David Agius, Claudette Buttigieg, Ryan Callus, Ivan J. Bartolo, Robert Cutajar, Chris Said, Carm Mifsud Bonnici, and Karol Aquilina are all not seeking re-election, while PL MPs Aaron Farrugia, Michael Farrugia, Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi, Chris Agius, Clayton Bartolo, and Roderick Galdes will also not be on the ballot sheet.