The Nationalist Party’s membership has increased by five per cent since the June European elections, according to a spokesperson. 

Around 1,300 people joined the party over the past four months, taking membership to over 26,000 people.

In June, the PN obtained its best electoral result in a decade despite losing yet another election to the Labour Party. It obtained over 109,000 votes, reducing its deficit with Labour to just 8,400 votes.  

The last time PN won a nation-wide election was in 2008, with a margin of only around 1,500 votes.  It has lost every election since, with margins exceeding 36,000 votes.

The most recent opinion polls show the gap between the two parties has significantly shrunk.  

PN general secretary Michael Piccinino told Times of Malta that the PN is growing in members, activists, committee members, and candidates. 

“The number of people coming to the party has been increasing every day, and even more so since June,” he said.

Piccinino attributed this to a shift in mentality, suggesting that more people now believe in the possibility of change. 

“Maybe before people didn’t think change was possible, but now people have a sense of hope that Malta can turn a new page, just like Clyde Caruana (finance minister) said a few days ago. The PN can be the change the people need,” he said.

He was speaking ahead of the PN’s general council themed ‘Malta Żagħżugħa’.