Anyone aspiring to run for the Nationalist Party leadership will first have to undergo a due diligence process to verify whether he or she is fit to enter the race, under the terms of the recently approved statute.

Those wanting to throw their name into the hat will be forbidden from starting campaigning before clearing this hurdle.

On Saturday, the PN general council voted to hold a fresh leadership contest, in a blow to current leader Adrian Delia.

Delia has said he will seek re-election.

The councils decision set in motion a complex procedure, with the first step being a call by the party electoral commission for an expression of interest by potential candidates. The call has to be issued within three days from the general council decision.

Prospective candidates have up to seven days to come forward.

Within two days of the closure of the call, the commission must refer the names of those coming forward to the Candidates Commission for the “necessary verifications”.

This due diligence exercise on the “employment, profession or business” of the prospective candidate may take up to six weeks.

In this respect, the statute says that those aspiring to be a party candidate across all levels must be persons of integrity, honest and only motivated by the desire to serve the people and the common good.

Moreover, they must be competent and must pass the due diligence test.

It is up to the commission to decide what level of due diligence to apply.

Regulations on the manner in which this process will be carried out, the criteria on the qualities and qualifications of those interested to contest and the timeframes of the due diligence process itself are at the discretion of the executive committee.

The commission may recruit any experts it may deem necessary to carry out its evaluation.

When the due diligence is completed, the commission shall send its report on each prospective candidate to both the electoral commission and to the administrative council.

This is the stage when the leadership campaign proper starts as, within three days, the electoral commission must open a five-day nomination period from among those who would have passed the eligibility test.

A candidate must obtain the endorsement of at least three MPs, five members of the college of local councillors, 10 executive committee members, 50 general council members and another 50 signatures from ordinary party members.

If there are more than two candidates, a secret ballot must be held in the general council, with the top two qualifying for the final round. This vote must be held in the first weekend after the expiration of 15 days from the closure of the nomination period.

The winner is determined in a final ballot among all party members, in what is known as the general convention, which must be held on a weekend, and a fortnight after the first round.

The current process is expected to end by mid-September. 

Eligible voters must have been party members for two years

Only members who joined the party at least two years before the ballot and who are up to date in their membership payment are allowed to vote.

In the unlikely case there is only one candidate, he or she must not go through the convention, but the general council, and obtain at least 50 per cent plus one of the valid votes cast.

Once elected, the new leader would have a two-year ‘protection’ period, in which no confidence vote would be allowed.

The PN leadership roadmap

1. General Council opts for leadership contest.

2. Expression of interest for prospective candidates.

3. Names referred to candidates commission for due diligence process.

4. Nomination period and start of campaigning.

5. Phase One of election in case there are more than two candidates.

6. Final face-off between the first-placed and runner-up of the Phase One vote.

The members of the candidates commission

Colin Bowman chairs the candidates commission.

The other members are: Kris Borg, Rachel Azzopardi, Joe Vella Baldacchino, Helen D’Amato, Joe Bugeja, Albert Bell and MP Carm Mifsud Bonnici as an ex-officio member in virtue of being the President of the Administrative Council.