Jason Azzopardi

Jason Azzopardi (born 1971, Malta) is a Maltese politician. He graduated as Doctor of Laws with a master's degree in financial services from the University of Malta in 1996 and that year he started practicing as a private criminal lawyer in the courts of Malta.[1]

Azzopardi was first elected to the Maltese Parliament in 1998 and subsequently re-elected in 2003, 2008, and 2013, and 2017 as a member of the Maltese Nationalist Party. During the 10th Legislature (2003-2007) he served as chairman of the Foreign and European Affairs Committee, a member of the Privileges Committee, and head of the Maltese delegation to the parliamentary assembly of the OSCE. During the 11th Legislature (2008-2013), he was appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Revenues and Land in the Ministry of Finance, Economy and Investment. He also served in that legislature as Minister for Fair Competition and Small Business and Consumers. He was again re-elected to Parliament in the 12th legislature (2013 elections) but remained in opposition as his party lost the general election.[2]

In the 2008 general elections, he obtained 3321 first count votes and was elected in Parliament after he got the quota of 3679 votes when he inherited second and third option votes from other candidates following the system of single transferable vote. The district which he contested the general elections was the 4th electoral district, composed of the villages of: Gudja, Raħal Ġdid, Ħal Għaxaq, Marsa (Trinity Parish Church area), Santa Luċija, Fgura (Mater Bon Consigli area), and Ħal Tarxien. In the 2013 General Elections, he again obtained a seat in Parliament from the same Electoral District as he obtained 2308 first count votes and managed to get the quota of 3822 votes.[3]

He identifies as a Roman Catholic, guided by this faith's principles in his values as a Member of Parliament. He said he has no regrets in stating his opinion against divorce.[4] However, he followed Simon Busuttil and only abstained rather than voted against recognition of same-sex unions in Malta.

His hometown and private office is in Paola, Malta.