Thank you, Bernard Grech

I have known Bernard Grech since 2018 when he addressed the PN’s General Council. I regarded him as a rising star, especially when he used to participate on Xarabank together with Joe Giglio. Both of them were perceived as a dynamic duo and the future of PN.

As Grech took helm of the PN in October 2020, he found a party which was in a delicate situation as it had internal conflicts and had gone through a number of huge electoral defeats. His leadership will likely be remembered as a pivotal chapter in the party’s history characterised by calm determination, unity and public accountability.

These are qualities that were instrumental in repositioning the PN as a serious political force once again.

Over these past five years, Grech managed to rebuild the PN, win back the third MEP seat for the party and win control of eight new local councils: Mosta, St Paul’s Bay, San Ġwann, Msida, Siġġiewi, Birkirkara, Mellieħa and Żebbuġ (Gozo). The PN also gained seats in hardcore Labour localities such as Dingli, Santa Luċija, Qrendi, Żurrieq and Xewkija. Moreover, after last year’s local elections, the PN has 20 more local councillors compared to 2019.

Under Grech’s leadership, the PN managed to get 11,000 more votes in the MEP elections when compared to 2019, reducing Labour’s lead from 42,000 to just 8,454 votes. The gap between the PN and PL in the local council elections narrowed from 47,000 in 2019 to just over 20,000 in 2024, reflecting a significant shift in public sentiment.

Last year’s European Parliament and local council elections were a turning point for the PN, marking a significant shift in Malta’s political landscape. The party made notable gains, narrowing the gap with the PL and signalling a potential resurgence after 11 years in opposition.

Some argue that these results were due to many Labour supporters not voting as a sign of protest against Robert Abela.

Even though this claim is true, one cannot ignore the fact that, under Bernard Grech’s leadership, the PN clinched back the third MEP seat and got its best result in 20 years.

Grech managed to renew the PN parliamentary group as today we have 20 new MPs and many of them are young.

On local council level, there are many new youths, many of whom are mayors, deputy mayors or minority leaders.

We must unite under the new party leader the moment he is elected- Jean Paul Barbara

Also, he managed to attract many youths and fresh faces within the PN who are part of the PN Administrative Council, Executive Committee, party branches and local sectional committees.

I would like to show my appreciation to Grech for involving me in his team, even though I was not part of his campaign team when he was running for party leader back in 2020.

Instead of sidelining me, when he was elected leader, he called me into his office and included me directly in his team.

Grech practised what he preached and showed us that every person of goodwill was welcome in our party. It has been a pleasure and honour to serve under his leadership. Grech entered politics with integrity and is leaving his post as PN leader with that same integrity intact.

I would like to thank his wife AnneMarie and his children Neil and Maria for being by his side every moment during these past five years.

Changing Grech will definitely not solve the PN’s problems. Since 2013, we have changed four leaders: Lawrence Gonzi, Simon Busuttil, Adrian Delia and now Bernard Grech. Clearly, changing the party leader so many times didn’t lead us anywhere.  We need to address why we are losing election after election with a gap of almost 40,000 votes each time.

To Alex Borg or Adrian Delia as the candidates who have expressed their interest to become the new PN leader, as I supported Bernard Grech and Adrian Delia in the past, whoever is elected, I will support you with all my strength as I believe that the PN is the only alternative to this corrupt Labour government.

We must unite under the new party leader from the moment he is elected and offer Malta an alternative government. We must get rid of this Labour government which has failed miserably. People want change and an alternative government. Let’s do this for Malta.

Jean Paul Barbara is minority leader on the Dingli local council and vice president of MŻPN within the Nationalist Party.