Nationalist leader Adrian Delia must now “walk the talk” and should, in line with the pledge made in his reconfirmation speech, reach out to those who lack confidence in him, Louis Galea said on Sunday.
On the other hand, Dr Delia’s critics must come forward and engage in the root and branch reform of the party’s structures and policies, said Dr Galea, the former party general secretary recently tasked with overseeing internal PN reforms.
Otherwise, he said, the changes necessary for the PN to move forward would never materialise.
The PN leader won 67 per cent of the valid votes cast during an extraordinary general council session on Saturday, garnering 920 out of 1,358. The confidence vote had been requested in the wake of the heavy defeats in last May’s European Parliament and local council elections.
In a Talking Point published on Monday Dr Delia pledged that from now onwards it would be “all hands on deck” to implement the necessary changes in order for the party to be better organised, communicate better and bring back to the fold thousands of traditional Nationalist supporters who have deserted the party since 2013. He also acknowledged that uniting the party would arguably be his greatest challenge.
Asked for a reaction to the result, Dr Galea pointed out that it had not changed much in his mission to pilot the necessary reforms.
“The General Council has reconfirmed Dr Delia will remain at the helm till the next general election. This in itself is a very important step which I hope will nudge the post-2019 election results phase towards a new beginning,” he said.
Nonetheless, Dr Galea acknowledged that the existing rift would not heal overnight.
“I am not at all naïve expecting that as from today all in the PN will be hugs and kisses. Human nature is what it is, and my point of departure is to respect the concomitant emotions, legitimate reasoning and aspirations,” he said.
[attach id=746581 size="medium" align="right" type="image"]Louis Galea[/attach]
Dr Galea cautioned that results could only be achieved gradually.
He said the reform process he had been tasked to carry out was not a magic wand. “However much people want results yesterday, the process is of its very nature a slow-cooking, patient, painful, humble process. It can never succeed without the goodwill, intelligence, foresight, common sense, altruism of all concerned, including citizens, young and old, at large,” he said.
Dr Galea observed that in his speech, Dr Delia had reached out to all and sundry promising a clean slate, appealing to his detractors and saying that apart from an anti-Delia strategy there were alternative and more constructive routes to achieving a renewal of the PN in order to make it a credible and effective Opposition and a worthwhile alternative for the people to consider.
“This is day one; and I fully understand and empathise with the feeling of scepticism that many in the party and in the country still harbour in their minds. The leader and the party need now to walk yesterday’s [Saturday’s] talk – conciliation, tolerance of diversity, respect, trust, hope, effective change and organisation. My task is to facilitate all this. I need everybody’s help,” Dr Galea said.
What PN deputy leaders said
Times of Malta also sought the reactions of the two deputy leaders.
David Agius, deputy leader for parliamentary affairs, said Dr Delia could not do it alone.
“In his first speech after the result, he offered his hand of friendship to everyone. However, it takes two to tango,” he said.
Mr Agius said the only way for the PN at this point was to unite as it was the only political power which could seriously challenge Labour.
“The PN is the only hope for this country for those wanting to restore the rule of law, stop the sale of passports and identify the mastermind behind Daphne Caruana Galizia’s murder amongst other things,” said.
His message was echoed by the deputy leader for party affairs, Robert Arrigo.
“The expression in a democracy has been the essence of the PN. We should talk about the two thirds [in his favour] and the one third [against]. One does not overcome the other. Dr Delia got 50 per cent more votes than two years ago,” he said.
Mr Arrigo remarked that the best way for the country to avoid Labour winning a two-thirds majority in the next election was for all Nationalists to come out to vote for their preferred candidate.