George Abela

Infobox_Politician
name = George Abela


birth_date =Birth date and age|1948|4|22|mf=y
birth_place = Qormi, Malta
residence = Marsascala, Malta
order =
term_start =
term_end =
party = Malta Labour Party
constituency =
website = [http://www.georgeabela.info www.georgeabela.info]
religion = Roman Catholic
spouse = Margaret née Cauchi
children = Robert
Maria
footnotes =

George Abela is a Maltese politician, born in Qormi on April 22, 1948. [cite web | url = http://www.georgeabela.info/v3/profile.htm | title = George Abela - Profile | accessdate = 2008-06-05 | publisher = George Abela]

He was born to George and Ludgarda née Debono. He attended a primary school in Qormi, and the Lyceum in Hamrun. In 1965, He enrolled in the University of Malta, where he obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree. He furthered his studies and became a notary public, and in 1975 he graduated as a lawyer. He was immediately hired by the General Worker's Union as a legal consultant, and worked within the Union for 25 years thereby obtaining considerable experience in employment law.

In 1982, he was elected as the chairman of the Malta Football Association. He brought changes within the MFA, and improved the infrastructure, where training grounds, a gymnasium, and a physiotherapy clinic were built, and artificial lighting was installed. The players of the Malta national football team were engaged for the first time in training on a professional basis.

After ten years, in 1992, he left the post and took up the role of Deputy Leader responsible for Party Affairs within the Malta Labour Party. Following the party's electoral win in 1996, he was appointed as a Legal Consultant to the Prime Minister, Dr. Alfred Sant and therefore attended Cabinet meetings. In 1998 he severed all ties with the Malta Labour Party reportedly due to his disagreement with the party executive's decision to call an early election which was deemed necessary due to the parliamentary crisis at the time unfolding. In 2000 he fell out of favor with the General Workers' Union's administration and officially severed all ties with the organization. Since 2000 he shifted focus to his private legal practice, acting as legal consultant to various government entities, including the Malta Environment and Planning Authority (MEPA) and the Malta European Union Steering Action Committee (MEUSAC). This, and his persistent public criticism of the Union, led media to speculate about a new found affinity with the Nationalist administration, particularly with then Prime Minister Edward Fenech Adami and Cabinet Minister Austin Gatt. These speculations proved to be very influential in the 2008 Labour leadership contest.

He contested the election for new Leader of the Malta Labour Party following Dr. Alfred Sant's resignation in 2008, together with Evarist Bartolo, Marie Louise Coleiro Preca, Joseph Muscat and Michael Falzon. The leadership contest was decided by means of a runoff between Abela and Muscat which took place on the 6 June 2008. Abela placed second with 291 votes (33.64%), trailing Joseph Muscat who obtained 574 votes (66.36%). Newly-elected Joseph Muscat immediately invited him to participate in party affairs under the new leadership,and Abela was appointed as the representative of the Labour party on the Malta-EU Steering Action Committee (MEUSEC).

References

External Links

* [http://www.georgeabela.info/ George Abela]