The Nationalist Party needs to remember its roots as a “centrist party looking to the left”, not walk the road of populism, MP and former deputy leader Mario de Marco warned the PN general council on Sunday.

The party has recently been accused of using populist rhetoric, particularly when discussing population growth and the increase in foreign workers.

Amongst other things, PN leader Bernard Grech falsely claimed that Malta’s population had “almost doubled” since 2013. Grech later doubled down on the statement, denying that it fuelled xenophobic sentiment.

Addressing the party faithful on Sunday, De Marco adopted a different tone, arguing that populism “is not our road”.

Mario de Marco addressing the PN general council on Sunday. Video: Facebook/Partit Nazzjonalista

He said that he “would prefer to live another five years in opposition, rather than five years in government living a lie”.

He argued that ideology still has an important role to play in politics, saying that the party has its roots in Christian Democracy and should not shift to the right.

“We always believed in the downtrodden, the worker and in the politics of solidarity”.

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