Embattled Nationalist Party leader Adrian Delia is expected to face fresh calls from his parliamentary group to “make way in the best interests of the party” in the wake of his dismal showing in the latest Malta Today survey.
According to this opinion poll, Dr Delia’s level of support dropped to a historic low despite the recent political crisis which led to Joseph Muscat’s resignation as prime minister.
While Prime Minister Robert Abela’s rating is at 62.5 per cent, Dr Delia has just 13.5 per cent of the share.
The state of the party is expected to be raised during a parliamentary group meeting set for this evening, which is also likely to focus on the reform being piloted by party stalwart Louis Galea.
“Over the weekend, I have been bombarded by constituents and party supporters who are fearing that, at this rate, the party risks a complete wipeout. As an MP, I am bound to flag the situation to seek a solution, even if this is not on the agenda,” a Nationalist MP said on condition of anonymity.
On the other hand, Dr Delia’s most ardent supporters believe that the survey was skewed against the PN in terms of the sample of respondents chosen.
Moreover, they are pointing fingers at MPs who they accuse of having put “spokes in the wheels” from the very moment Dr Delia announced his intention to run for the leadership in June 2017.
Fresh calls for Dr Delia to consider his position have come just six months after he survived a confidence vote within the party’s highest organ, the general council. Last July, he obtained 68 per cent of support in a vote triggered by the electoral drubbing suffered in the European and local council elections of May.
Party sources, however, said that this time around there were no plans to try to oust Dr Delia.
He still believes he will swing the balance of power in his favour
“We have been left with Hobson’s choice. Making no change in the leadership means putting the party’s future at risk but forcing Dr Delia out through a confidence vote will only serve create anger among his loyal supporters towards whoever succeeds him,” an MP said.
Sources within the parliamentary group said that, so far, attempts to persuade Dr Delia to make a magnanimous exit failed.
“He still believes that he will swing the balance of power in his favour, however, evidence on the ground suggests he is increasingly adopting a delusional attitude,” they said.
“The bottom line is that the PN has made no inroads despite Dr Delia’s victory in the Egrant report inquiry case, the revelations in Vitals deal and the party in government losing key figures like Joseph Muscat, Keith Schembri and Konrad Mizzi,” the sources said.
They added that the writing was on the wall for the party. Speculation that an early election could be on the horizon had only accentuated such fears.
“Right now the party would not be in a position to finance a fully-fledged election campaign and, with the current level of support, there is the risk that in some districts the PN could also lose its only seat,” party insiders warned.
“At this stage, the only solution would be for Adrian Delia to call it a day in the best interests of the party, possibly as part of the radical reform being piloted by Louis Galea,” they said.