Adrian Delia and Bernard Grech are unlikely to feature in any face-to-face debates before the leadership election, amid concerns that they might dent any prospects of healing the deep wounds created within the party in recent years.

Instead, the electoral commission is toying with the idea of holding a ‘controlled’ discussion in which the two candidates will not be grilled by journalists but answer a set of pre-agreed questions outlining their respective policies, visions and beliefs.

Nationalist Party sources said that even though no decision had yet been taken by the commission, it was keen to avoid a repeat of certain “mistakes” committed in the 2017 leadership contest. 

Back then, the contestants had taken part in a series of debates in which they faced questions from a panel of journalists from various media outlets.

“While on paper that was a very democratic way for the paid-up members to make up their mind on who was best suited to lead the party, in reality the event only served to escalate tensions though a series of highly charged exchanges and loaded questions,” sources said.

 “At this point in time the last thing the party needs is to deepen the rifts which characterised Delia’s turbulent three-year leadership or to create new ones. This would further dent the party’s prospects in the next general election, which is on the horizon,” they added.

Though the commission was initially inclined not hold any debates at all, it fell prey to criticism that the measure was too drastic, especially from the Delia camp who seem the keener on holding the debate.

The commission is now considering an event in which the two candidates will answer a common set of questions to outline their positions while avoiding certain issues that might trigger controversy.  It is understood that Grech and Delia have been instructed to decline invitations for face-to-face debates on other media, in the interest of party unity.

The commission will also be ensuring Grech and Delia have the same level of exposure through a detailed schedule of events.

Meanwhile, sources said the commission recently intervened in the wake of complaints that Delia was using party funds for Facebook adverts promoting this three-year stint at the helm of the party.

Though the amount involved was a modest €150, the commission ordered the immediate cessation of such adverts after it upheld complaints that Delia was resorting to his power of incumbency.

The adverts, which were marked “paid by Partit Nazzjonalista”, are no longer active and have been replaced by others marked as “paid by Adrian Delia”.