There was no one better than Adrian Delia to lead the Nationalist Party, according to the man often credited with having piloted the embattled leader's campaign.

Pierre Portelli, the former editorial director of The Malta Independent and now head of the PN media said in a Facebook post that despite claims being made against Dr Delia in view of his marital problems, he still had the same confidence in him as the day he decided to back him. 

Dr Delia has been facing calls to resign or suspend himself after his wife filed for separation amid claims of domestic abuse.

Read: Opposition divided over abuse claims on Delia

Insisting that he knew "what was going on", Mr Portelli said he did not wish to comment on Dr Delia's personal matters because he wanted to respect the family's privacy, the same way he had done in the case of other former leaders of both parties.

I will only say that claims by those trying to give the impression that the current situation puts pressure on Dr Delia's leadership are untrue

"I will only say that claims by those trying to give the impression that the current situation puts pressure on Dr Delia's leadership are untrue."

Mr Portelli said that despite his family problems, Dr Delia had stayed focused and vociferous on the problems facing the country such as the fight again corruption, protection of the right to life, pressures on freedom of expression, real and relative poverty, the need for long-term planning, education and the fight against hatred.

He said he had worked closely with Dr Delia in the past 18 months and people could not keep up with him and with the enthusiasm he had injected in the PN. He was a person who sought to help everyone, irrespective of political beliefs. He personally tried to help those who sought assistance, rather than delegating to others, the PN media chief said.

Mr Portelli said the PN was not just its leader, its MPs, officials or employees.

"The PN is not the few bloggers who want exclusive sway over the party."

The PN, he said, was the party of everyone, of the Nationalists and of the Labourites who viewed it as an alternative, as well as NGOs who worked for the good of society. The PN was the party of everyone and he could not see anyone better than Dr Delia to lead it as it represented all sectors of society.  

Similar support was echoed by the PN general council president Kristy Debono who described the leaks of a very private matter as an "all-time low".

"No one, but the family has all the information, and jumping the gun and taking biased decisions is an option I will definitely not be following. Sharing extracts of leaked documents and footages is also something which I will not entertain as it is definitely not to the family's best interests," she wrote in a social media post.

She added that the break-up of a politician's marriage is definitely not the first and sadly will not be the last.

"The family needs their privacy to be respected in these most difficult times."