As pre-empted by sister paper Illum, Jason Micallef’s resignation paves the way for Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi to become the PL's next secretary-general
James Debono
Labour Party President Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi has stepped into the role of ‘interim’ general secretary, following Jason Micallef’s resignation on Monday.
“I am ready to shoulder any responsibility offered to me by the party,” Zrinzo Azzopardi told MaltaToday.
It was sister newspaper Illum which last Sunday revealed that Zrinzo Azzopardi had been earmarked by party leader Joseph Muscat to replace Jason Micallef as secretary-general.
Illum’s story was vindicated on Monday by a statement issued by the Labour party announcing Jason Micallef’s resigniation from party general secretary and his appointment as chairman of One Productions.
When contacted by MaltaToday, Zrinzo Azzopardi made it clear that he would accept any responsibility in the party after serving his full mandate as President.
His mandate formally expires in the next party general conference, which is expected to take place in January.
Illum also reported that one major stumbling block for Zrinzo Azzopardi is that he is not keen on abandoning his professional career to work as full-time general secretary.
Asked whether he would be willing to serve as full time general secretary in view of his professional work as a lawyer, Zrinzo Azzopardi enigmatically replied that “determining what is full-time and part-time is highly debatable.”
“I have always given all the hours of work required by my office for which I was not paid,” Zrinzo Azzopardi replied.
In the party Zrinzo Azzopardi is considered as a moderate and close to Michael Falzon-one of Muscat’s four rivals in last years’ LP’s leadership race.
His election as general secretary could facilitate the re-integration of Falzon’s faction in the party following the acrimonious leadership race.
Zrinzo Azzopardi is also trusted by the same party delegates who last year re-elected Jason Micallef as party general secretary.
Garnering 71% of the delegates’ votes in the last year’s contest for the post of party president, Zrinzo Azzopardi could prove to be a less divisive figure in the party than Jason Micallef, who, alongside former leader Alfred Sant took the bulk of the flak for Labour’s surprise defeat in March 2008.
One other candidate in the same election commented to MaltaToday that Jason’s resignation, though not in line with the democratically expressed views of the majority fo Labour delegates last year, is nonetheless the preorgative of the party leader Joseph Muscat.
“The party leader is the party leader,” former education secretary Alfred Grixti said yestareday. “He has the right to choose his team, now more than ever. When last year I decided to contest for the post of Secretary General, I personally asked Joseph Muscat whether he had already someone else in mind for that role. The leader has the right to choose his team. One might argue how democratic this is, but we want to win.”
Another labour heavyweight to welcome the reshuffle - and who also publicly criticised Jason Micallef upon his re-election last year - is shadow environment minister Leo Brincat.
“I have full faith in any initiatives launched by Joseph Muscat as part of the rejuvenation process within the party. I am in favour of seeing a party opening up in order to reach new horizons,” Brincat said.
Profile
Aged 34, Zrinzo Azzopardi commenced his political activism presenting programmes on One TV and Super One Radio.
He served as President of the party’s Naxxar committee between 1997 and 1998.
He unsuccessfully contested the 1998 and 2003 elections but was subsequently elected party president.
In 2008 he was elected party president after garnering 71% of the delegate’s vote.
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