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Historian-blogger Simon Mercieca to contest for MEP with former Abba candidates
Simon Mercieca has former European Commissioner John Dalli, who resigned in 2012 in the wake of the snus tobacco scandal, sign his nomination for the European Parliament elections
25 April 2024, 6:20am
Matthew Vella
Matthew Vella
1 min read
John Dalli (left) with Simon Mercieca
The University academic whose personal blog has propped up Malta’s conservative right-wing, anti-vaxxers, and ‘anti-woke’ campaigners – Prof. Simon Mercieca – will contest the European elections.
Mercieca will be joined by candidates from other right-wing formations who contested the general elections in 2022, namely Alexander D’Agata and Radu Gheorghi from Abba, who are contesting as independents.
Mercieca posted a photo of former European Commissioner John Dalli, who resigned in 2012 in the wake of the snus tobacco scandal, signing his nomination for MEP candidate.
The nominations add more conservative voices to the list of independent European Parliament candidates, joining former Nationalist MP Edwin Vassallo, Abba leader Ivan Grech Mintoff, and far-right Imperium Europa’s two candidates.
Mercieca’s blog frequently champions right-wing elements in the Nationalist Party, having nursed a long-time feud with anti-corruption NGO Repubblika, and its lawyer Jason Azzopardi, propping up legal arguments made by the defence team of assassination suspect Yorgen Fenech or making allegedly defamatory statements on the Caruana Galizia assassination, while also promoting blogs from anti-vaxxers and traditionalists Pro Malta Christiana.
In 2021, lawyer Arthur Azzopardi sued Mercieca for claiming that he and Darren Debono were indicated as masterminding the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia.
Mercieca has also claimed that Archbishop Charles J. Scicluna is a member of Opus Dei, an allegation which the Church has officially denied.
The American tourist Andrea Prudente, who was denied a termination for her unviable pregnancy in Malta, also filed a lawsuit for defamation against Mercieca. Another civil defamation lawsuit was filed against Mercieca by Silvan Agius, a member of the Cabinet of EU Commissioner for equality Helena Dalli.
This article is part of a content series called Ewropej. This is a multi-newsroom initiative part-funded by the European Parliament to bring the work of the EP closer to the citizens of Malta and keep them informed about matters that affect their daily lives. This article reflects only the author’s view. The action was co-financed by the European Union in the frame of the European Parliament's grant programme in the field of communication. The European Parliament was not involved in its preparation and is, in no case, responsible for or bound by the information or opinions expressed in the context of this action. In accordance with applicable law, the authors, interviewed people, publishers or programme broadcasters are solely responsible. The European Parliament can also not be held liable for direct or indirect damage that may result from the implementation of the action.
Matthew Vella, a freelance journalist at MaltaToday, was formerly executive editor at Malt...
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