Franco Debono confirms he will not stand for PN leadership, but eyes other posts
Former MP says he will now take a more active role in politics
Franco Debono said on Sunday he will not take part in the PN leadership race, but he will henceforth take a more active role in politics.
Nominations for the leader's election close at 2pm on Sunday. Two nominations have been submitted so far, those of former leader Adrian Delia, and Gozitan MP Alex Borg.
Debono was a Nationalist MP until he fell out with the party leadership in 2012. He remained a party member.
A recent leaked opinion survey showed him third in a potential leadership race at 9%. Borg was at 27% and Delia at 19% with about half of the PN party members survey not giving an opinion
Debono announced his decision in a Facebook post. He said it was evident that many wished him to return to an active political role.
He appreciated all the messages he had received, saying they placed on him a duty to participate more actively in politics, something he would do.
This, he said, was also a message to the Nationalist Party that it needed to be more inclusive, it needed to give value to the work of all individuals and it needed to look to the future, not the past.
The party could not strengthen itself if it continued to be anchored to the past.
"It needs to respect differences and build on what unites us," he said.
Debono said that he was keeping his feet grounded and moving ahead a step at a time.
While he was not standing for the leadership, he said he believed the leadership election would open up other vacancies in important posts and roles. He would therefore in future consider other roles as circumstances dictated.
Informed sources said Debono was considering the role of deputy leader, should it become vacant.
He appealed for party unity and said he was greeting all past party leaders while wishing the best for those seeking election.