Gonzi wants bigger voice for women in PN

Lawrence Gonzi yesterday addressed the Nationalist Party's administrative council for the first time as party leader.

He described the council as one of the most important organs of the party, where decisions about day-to-day events are taken. He said he had a "positive experience" of the council and thanked the members for their work.

Referring to the fact that there is only one female on board, Dr Gonzi said the participation of women in the party's structures needed to be addressed.

He described this as one of the main challenges of the party and said the council should dedicate a meeting to discuss the issue.

Dr Gonzi said another priority was giving a voice to Gozo within the council.

He stressed that the process to revise the party's structures, which started last year, should continue. The council had the opportunity to propose a structure that was right for the "new reality" that the country would come into with EU membership.

The PN leader said the next urgent target faced by the party was the forthcoming MEP elections in June.