Adrian Delia admitted he felt “very frustrated” with the behaviour of some of his MPs, amid internal party turmoil which has rattled the Nationalist Party.

A number of PN MPs as well as officials have uploaded critical comments on social media expressing concern about the state of the party in the wake of disastrous results obtained in the European and local council elections as well as the co-option of a new MP.

“I feel very frustrated because unless we’re going to toe the same line we’re not going to move forward. It’s completely useless if we don’t do it,” Dr Delia told Times of Malta’s online programme Times Talk.

He said his door was always open to critical MPs like Jason Azzopardi but picking the social media forum to “slag people off” on social media was unproductive whether they could instead be engaging with the party leadership and working on the portfolios they had been assigned.

Asked if he felt in control of his MPs, Dr Delia replied: “A coach needs to actually first choose the players he wants to be with. It’s very difficult for a coach to work with a team he already found there. I am really trying to work with the MPs I found. Most of them are helping. Those who don’t want to – it takes two to tango.”

But the PN leader made it clear he has no intention of stepping down or even calling for a vote of confidence. He said that a year and a half ago he was entrusted with a mandate to carry out changes within the PN which, he said, was anchoring it to the past.

“It certainly hasn’t been enough. I don’t think the PN needs to go through another leadership campaign,” which would protract the process.

“If there’s anyone out there who wants to contest – I’m not tied to this seat. I went into politics because I wanted to change the PN drastically. Some prefer staying as we were. A lot of other want more change.”

Asked why he is not even heeding former party leader’s Lawrence Gonzi’s suggestion to seek a ballot to confirm whether he enjoys support, he said it is the party members who ultimately democratically elect the PN leader.

“There’s a section of the party and the electorate which remains reluctant to accept my position in the party. By going for an actual vote of confidence today what do you achieve?”

Acknowleding the scale of the defeat, De Delia said the PN had made inroads among certain sections of the electorate but lost the support of others.

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