Marlene Farrugia
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The Honourable Marlene Farrugia MP |
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|---|---|
| Leader of the Democratic Party | |
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Assumed office 21 October 2016 |
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| Member of Parliament | |
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Assumed office 13 March 2013 |
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In office 10 May 2008 – 11 March 2013 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | 24 July 1966 |
| Nationality | Maltese |
| Political party | Democratic Party |
| Other political affiliations |
Labour Party (2003-2016) Nationalist Party (1996-2003) |
| Domestic partner | Godfrey Farrugia |
| Residence | Qrendi |
| Profession | Politician, Dentist |
Marlene Farrugia is a Maltese Member of Parliament and founder and 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 and forming the Democratic Party in 2016.
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. 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.
Following the EU accession referendum held in 2003, Farrugia shifted allegiances to the Labour Party. 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. She was re-elected from the same electoral district in 2013, garnering 2,525 first-count votes.
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. She later founded the Democratic Party becoming its first leader and only sitting MP.
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, 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). Farrugia has also been vocal on issues related to environmental protection (particularly throughout the controversy related to the American Institute of Malta) 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.
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