Opposition leader Joseph Muscat stressed this evening that by the prime minister's own benchmarks, the country would not get stability if a motion of no confidence was not defeated by a government majority on Thursday.
Dr Muscat was speaking at the opening of the debate on the no confidence motion - hours after rebel Nationalist MP Franco Debono indicated that he may abstain rather than vote against the no confidence motion. That would mean equal votes in favour and against the motion.
Such an outcome, Dr Muscat said, would still not achieve the benchmarks which the prime minister had set - clarity, durability and the absence of pre-conditions.
The following is the debate as it unfolds:
Opposition leader JOSEPH MUSCAT - Dr Muscat said this was the second time in a short time that the House was being asked to declare whether it had confidence in the government. The first debate was held at the request of the prime minister in the wake of the vote of confidence in Transport Minister Austin Gatt, when the Speaker had to use his casting vote after an MP abstained. At the time, Dr Gonzi said the people deserved to know where they...
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