Joseph Cuschieri

Joseph Cuschieri
Member of the European Parliament
Incumbent
Assumed office
6 June 2009 (de facto)
1 December 2011 (de jure)
Majority 19,672
Member of Parliament
In office
1998–2008
Succeeded by Joseph Muscat
Personal details
Born 20 February 1968
Attard, Malta
Nationality Maltese
Political party Labour (PL)
Religion Roman Catholic
Website www.josephcuschieri.com
www.mlp.org.mt

Joseph Cuschieri (born February 20, 1968) is a Maltese politician who has been a Member of the European Parliament since 2009. Previously he served in the House of Representatives of Malta from 1998 to 2008. He was born in a working-class family and joined the Labour Party at a very early age.

Background

Cuschieri was born in Attard. Before becoming a politician, he worked in the textile industry, at the dockyards, as a journalist and broadcaster, and in the tourism industry. He was a founder of Super One Radio (now One Radio), where he worked as a journalist.

Political career

Cuschieri became active in the Labour Party at 13 when he joined the Socialist Youth League in Sliema.

In 1994 he was nominated first Deputy Mayor of St. Julian's, after polling the largest number of votes among independent candidates.[1] In the second local council elections in 1996 he was re-elected with the largest numbers of votes among all candidates.

Election as an MP

Cuschieri was elected as an MP for three consecutive terms commencing 1998. He garnered a greater share of the vote in 2003 and then in 2008.[2]

From 1998 to 2003 he served, alongside Charles Mangion, as spokesperson for Local Councils. From 2003 to 2008 he served with Karmenu Vella and Evarist Bartolo as spokesperson for tourism, Air Malta, and hotels. He was also appointed Speaker for the Infrastructure and Capital Projects, together with Charles Buhagiar.

During his ten-year parliamentary career Cuschieri served on delegations to the United Kingdom, Isle of Man, Tunisia, Australia, South Korea, Germany, Palestine, Israel and Jordan, among others.

Resignation from the House of Representatives

In September 2008 Cuschieri ceded his parliamentary seat to newly elected Labour leader Dr Joseph Muscat, who at that time was not a member of Parliament.[3]

Muscat thanked Cuschieri for "his extraordinary and generous decision",[4] and Charles Mangion, former Deputy Leader of the Labour Party for Parliamentary Affairs, described Cuschieri as a hard worker and remarkably altruistic, calling his resignation historically and politically important for the country.[5]

Following the resignation of his seat, Cuschieri was elected unanimously to the National Executive of the Labour Party.

Joseph Cuschieri for MEP

Following the entry into force of the Protocol amending Protocol No 36, Cuschieri was designated as an MEP with effect from 1 December 2011 for the remainder of the 2009-2014 parliamentary term.[6]

References

  1. ↑ "Results of Council Elections, by Locality, 1993 - 2008". Maltadata.com.
  2. ↑ Malta Department of Information figures
  3. ↑ "Joseph Cuschieri se jcedi postu fil-Parlament lill-Mexxej Laburista Joseph Muscat (Joseph Cuschiere will cede his Parliamentary post to Labour leader Joseph Muscat)". Maltese Labour Party official website (in Maltese). 20 September 2008. Retrieved 2 February 2009.
  4. ↑ "It's official, Cuschieri to give up his seat for Joseph Muscat". Times of Malta. 20 September 2008. Retrieved 2 February 2009.
  5. ↑ "Joseph Cuschieri sacrifices parliamentary seat for Leader". Malta Media News. 29 September 2008. Retrieved 2 February 2009.
  6. ↑ Camilleri, Ivan (13 December 2011). "Cuschieri takes his seat". Times of Malta. Retrieved 20 February 2011.

External links