Marlene Farrugia

Marlene Farrugia (born 24 July 1966) is a Maltese Member of Parliament and founder and former leader of the Democratic Party. She was formerly a member of the Nationalist Party, with whom she contested the General Elections in 1996 and 1998, and the Labour Party, with whom she was elected in 2008 and 2013, before resigning in 2015[2] and forming the Democratic Party in 2016.[3]

The Honourable

Marlene Farrugia

MP
Leader of the Democratic Party
In office
21 October 2016 – 21 August 2017[1]
Succeeded byAnthony Buttigieg
Member of Parliament
Assumed office
10 May 2008
Personal details
Born (1966-07-24) 24 July 1966
Żurrieq, State of Malta
NationalityMaltese
Political partyIndependent
Other political
affiliations		Democratic Party (2016-2019)
Labour Party (2003-2016)
Nationalist Party (1996-2003)
Spouse(s)Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando (divorced)
Domestic partnerGodfrey Farrugia
Children3
ResidenceQrendi
Alma materUniversity of Malta
OccupationPolitician, Dentist

Political career

Farrugia first entered the political scene in 1996, where she stood as a candidate (under the name of Marlene Pullicino) for the Nationalist Party in that year's Local Council elections and was elected, serving on the Zebbug Local Council between 1996 and 1999.[4] She subsequently stood for the 1998 General Elections on the Nationalist Party ticket. She gained 311 first count votes from the fifth electoral district and was not elected.[5]

Following the EU accession referendum held in 2003, Farrugia shifted allegiances to the Labour Party.[6] She contested the 2008 General Elections on behalf of the Labour Party and was elected from the fifth electoral district with a total of 3,375 first-count votes.[7] She was re-elected from the same electoral district in 2013, garnering 2,525 first-count votes.[8][9]

On 4 December 2018, Farrugia urged the public to "stand up to bullies everywhere and at all times", referring to the Parliamentary sitting during which Economy Minister Chris Cardona was heard threatening her and her partner Godfrey Farrugia by saying "Your turn will come".[10]

Democratic Party

Following disagreements with the Labour Party, Farrugia tendered her resignation from the party on 17 November 2015, becoming the only independent MP in the Maltese House of Representatives.[2] She later founded the Democratic Party becoming its first leader and only sitting MP.[3] Her re-election to Parliament in the 2017 general election made her the first elected Member of Parliament from a third party since 1962.[11] She continued to fight against the excesses of the Labour administration and supported the civil society activists' march for truth and justice in April 2018.[12] She criticised the government's handling of the Egrant inquiry, in which attempts were made to sweep other corruption allegations under the carpet.[13] She resigned as leader of the party in 2017[14] and resigned from the party entirely in 2019[15]

Political views

Farrugia is known for her outspoken nature and has been a vocal critic of her party on a number of issues, including the introduction of divorce, environmental issues and over-development, and good governance. She defines her political position as centre-left,[16] however she is also influenced by her Roman Catholic faith (such as in the run-up to the 2011 referendum on the introduction of divorce, which she initially opposed on religious grounds).[17] Farrugia has also been vocal on issues related to environmental protection (particularly throughout the controversy related to the American Institute of Malta[18]) and good governance, and was highly critical of Minister Konrad Mizzi's and the Maltese Prime Minister's Chief of Staff Keith Schembri's involvement in the Panama Papers leaks.[19]

Property

Farrugia is the owner of Cavalier Tower, found in Qrendi.[20][21]

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References
  1. http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2017-08-21/local-news/Marlene-Farrugia-resigns-from-Partit-Demokratiku-leader-6736178047
  2. Dalli, Miriam (17 November 2015). "Marlene Farrugia tenders resignation from Labour and environment committee". Maltatoday. Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  3. "Marlene Farrugia is temporary leader of new Democratic Party". Times of Malta. 4 June 2016. Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  4. "Żebbuġ Local Council". Kunsill Lokali Ħaż-Żebbuġ. Archived from the original on 5 April 2016. Retrieved 8 June 2016.
  5. "Government of Malta". 1998 Election Results. Retrieved 8 June 2016.
  6. Agius, Matthew (17 February 2015). "'I did not leave the PN, the PN left me' - Marlene Farrugia". Maltatoday. Retrieved 8 June 2016.
  7. "Government of Malta". 2008 Election Results. Retrieved 8 June 2016.
  8. "2013 Election Results". Government of Malta. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  9. "Parlament Ta' Malta". www.parlament.mt. Archived from the original on 2017-03-16. Retrieved 2017-04-30.
  10. Ltd, Allied Newspapers. "Bullying has no place in society, let alone in Parliament, PD says". Times of Malta. Retrieved 2019-01-12.
  11. Borg, Bertrand (6 June 2017). "Marlene Farrugia's election met with counting hall taunts". Times of Malta. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
  12. "Manifestazione a Valletta, Carluccio intervista Marlene Farrugia [video] | Corriere di Malta". Corriere di Malta (in Italian). 2018-04-29. Retrieved 2018-09-26.
  13. "Updated: Marlene Farrugia, Maria Efimova and other reactions - Newsbook". Newsbook. 2018-07-22. Retrieved 2018-09-26.
  14. "Marlene Farrugia resigns from Partit Demokratiku leader". The Malta Independent. 21 August 2017. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
  15. Ltd, MediaToday Co. "Godfrey and Marlene Farrugia resign from Partit Demokratiku". MaltaToday. Retrieved 2019-09-22.
  16. Sansone, Kurt (27 March 2016). "New centre-left party just a few weeks away - Marlene Farrugia to fly its flag in Parliament". Times of Malta. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  17. Massa, Ariadne (24 October 2010). "Marlene Pullicino offered to co-sponsor divorce bill". Times of Malta. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  18. "Marlene Farrugia hits out at government ahead of 'American university' debate". Times of Malta. 15 December 2015. Retrieved 25 June 2016.
  19. "Marlene Farrugia tables no confidence motion in Keith Schembri". Times of Malta. 16 May 2016. Retrieved 25 June 2016.
  20. Vella, Matthew (4 June 2017). "[WATCH] People blinded by Labour's largesse, Marlene Farrugia says in video message". Malta Today.
  21. "Marlene Farrugia: Speaking out from the backbench (full interview)". The Malta Independent. 10 December 2013.
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