Arnold Cassola unveils European election campaign endorsed by 10 personalities

Veteran politician Arnold Cassola has kicked off his European election campaign with endorsements from 10 personalities.

The former Alternattiva Demokratika leader will be contesting the 8 June election as an independent candidate with a manifesto focussing on four main issues: a clean environment, good governance, a compassionate and just society, and a future of hope for youth.

Cassola's campaign is endorsed publicly by 10 prominent Maltese personalities. These include athletes Fabio Spiteri and Elena Borg, artists Debbie Caruana Dingli and Steve Bonello, educators Michelle Attard Tonna and Claire Azzopardi Lane, writer Immanuel Mifsud, economist Marie Briguglio, environmental lawyer Claire Bonello and surgeon and columnist Kevin Cassar.

“First of all, I would like to acknowledge the precious work and advice of my team, without whose splendid contribution my manifesto and campaign would not be what they are,” he said in a nod to the team of volunteers helping him out.

Cassola urged reluctant voters to be “protagonists in the shaping of Europe's, our country's and their own future” by casting their vote.

“I humbly put my 35-year political experience at Maltese and EU level at the disposal of all Maltese and EU residents who work towards a Europe and Malta that are more democratic, transparent and closer to citizens' concerns,” Cassola said.

In the 2019 EP election Cassola received 2,127 first-count votes, the highest polling independent candidate.

He came close to being elected in 2004, when he polled 22,938 votes on the first count and could have made it had Malta had six seats at the time. Back then, Cassola was a candidate for AD.

He stepped away from AD, the party he helped found, five years ago because of differences with the party’s pro-choice stand on abortion.

Cassola was elected secretary general of the European Green Party in 1999 and re-elected to the post in 2003. Between 2006 and 2008, he served in the Italian parliament having been elected as a green member, part of the Union coalition fronted by Romano Prodi.