PN council president uncontested

Victor Scerri is set to remain president of the Nationalist Party's general council as his was the only nomination when applications for the election closed this week.

The party's electoral commission also received nominations from 31 people from the council of whom 13 will be elected to serve on the party's executive committee for the next two years.

The elections will be held on Friday, at the start of a general council which will continue on Saturday and Sunday.

The council will discuss the party's work and operation over the past two years and the operation of its media and its sections.

The party's new membership will also be analysed. Sources said over 800 new members joined the party last year, slightly more than in 2002. The number of new members was highest in 2003, an election year.

There is heightened interest in the outcome of this election as four of the 13 members to be elected to the executive committee on Friday must be women, following amendments made to the party statute in February.

Among the 31 applicants, four are known to be very close to former minister John Dalli, one of whom is his own daughter, Claire Gauci Borda.

Over 800 delegates have the right to vote for the councillors who will represent the council in the party's executive committee, made up of 61 people.

The PN executive committee has representatives from every district and from each of its sections, while 13 are elected by the general conference and another 13 from among the PN's members of Parliament.

The new executive committee will meet and a call for nominations will be issued for a number of posts in the party administration, including those of general secretary and international secretary.