Herman Grech
PN in drive to attract ‘liberal’ candidates
AŻAD, MZPN tasked with proposing changes
Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi is walking a tightrope between liberals and conservatives. Photo: Darrin Zammit Lupi
The Nationalist Party has embarked on a drive to attract liberal candidates for the next general election, amid broad “realisation” that the party needs to open up, according to party sources.
A number of so-called ‘liberal’ party officials have been tasked with identifying and approaching “open-minded, moderate” individuals who could stand for the PN in the next general election – scheduled to take place in 2013.
The move is intended to bridge the gap between conservatives and liberals in the PN, a chasm which became pronounced after the electorate voted in favour of the introduction of divorce in a referendum on May 28.
Interventions already made during this weekend’s general council have underlined the need for change in the PN, with party insiders saying this is essential if the PN is to remain relevant and avoid defeat at the polls.
“We’re meeting people and asking them to be openly critical of the party. We have no choice but to change policies and lure new faces who can bring about change,” a senior official told The Sunday Times.
“The party is looking for young candidates, open to change, capable of reading the signs of the times.”
Since the PN executive ad-opted an anti-divorce stand, officials admitted it was an uphill struggle to convince liberal-minded people to join the party.
“It’s not easy, but not impossible to convince them to come on board,” said another source.
Another official said the PN needed to live up to its name of welcoming people of all beliefs under its “coalition umbrella”.
Despite perceptions to the contrary, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi is believed to have given the go-ahead for the party to update its policies and principles, especially after many Nationalists defied their party’s anti-divorce stand in the referendum.
In a statement, Dr Gonzi was quoted as telling a workshop for party delegates yesterday that in the coming months the PN will conduct an internal exercise to revise its policies on education, employment, health and the environment.
“We need to give families solutions, and that is what I intend to continue to do,” Dr Gonzi said.
The PN’s political think-thank AŻAD and the youth movement MŻPN have been tasked with drawing up a document suggesting sweeping changes to several issues, possibly including divorce.
“We will certainly see some kind of restructuring within the party by the end of the year, but the more drastic changes will take longer, probably after the next election,” one official said. The Prime Minister is walking a tightrope between most of the conservative Cabinet members and the more liberal-leaning backbench. Sources said even during yesterday’s meeting, many PN core officials insisted the party should take care of its traditional grassroots.
Since the outcome of the divorce referendum, there has been a clear drive by the party administration to promote those perceived as more liberal to act as the faces of the PN in the media.
Meanwhile, while its former leader Eddie Fenech Adami urges the party to maintain its anti-divorce stance and make divorce an election issue, the Nationalist Party youth movement said Parliament should vote in favour.
Writing in The Times, PN information secretary Frank Psaila highlighted the need for a social liberal agenda and said the divorce referendum benefited the PN in many ways, provided it takes some sensible decisions.
Important issues like IVF legislation and cohabitation laws should be addressed at once, Mr Psaila said, followed by the introduction of more civil liberties.
“Unless the party caters for many a social liberal it will have a difficult task come 2013,” Mr Psaila warned.
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Mr mario scerri
Jun 20th 2011, 08:48
l-prverbju jghid min jitwieled tond ma jmutx kwadru. Inutli jkollok vapur b'ekwipagg liberali mbad fl-istess hin ikollok kaptan konservattiv.
Mr Robert Callus
Jun 19th 2011, 18:18
How can one claim to be open-minded and liberal and at the same time denying the seriousness of the drug problem and refuse to EVEN DISCUSS the alternatives to present policy?
http://maltagreenyouth.wordpress.com/2011/06/13/drugs-and-denial/
Mr norbert schembri
Jun 19th 2011, 17:52
L- editur tat times qed jipprova jghamel min kollox biex jaqla ftit lill gonzipn mit tajn li jinsab fih!! Dan l- artiklu hu sforz biex jipprova ipingi stampa li il-pn ser jinbidel u ikun partit gdid ghall elezzjoni li imiss. Mara xieha iccappsilha kemm iccapsilha makeup mara xieha tibqa!! Kif ser tehilsu min nies ultra konservattivi bhall beppe fenech adami, eddie fenech adami, dolores, giovanna, edwin vassallo, paul borg olivier, GONZI, tonio borg, tonio fenech, rcc, austin gatt, george pullicino, mario galea etc etc, dawn huma prattikament il-partit nazzjonalista kollu.
James Shaun Cauchi
Jun 19th 2011, 15:50
It will take more than a few token liberal back-benchers to shake the PN's established reputation...
Like the Church, the PN has moved into damage-control mode.
All we need now is a 'par idejn sodi' to do the job of administering the nation, be responsible, and set legislation for divorce well in motion.
We do 'not' need stall tactics. Nor do we need excuses. The people have spoken, consultatively or otherwise, and to act against the expressed wishes of the electorate will be to act in contempt of their expresssed wishes.
It was your decision to toss the rights of those who need divorce to a referendum votation that you completely expected another result to.
You did so in the fashion of Pontius Pilate, washed your hands of the issue and tossed the rights of a minority at the feet of the majority.
Very fortunately the people on the whole were more democratically conscious than you clearly must have been in conducting this unethical referendum.
And now you are bound, if not by law then surely by the weight of morality and the supposed loyalty entailed in your position as governing party. to concede to the wishes of the people.
To fail to do so is to send a clear message out to the Maltese people as a whole, just what shade of democracy you aspire to.
Furthermore to toss this issue to the hands of PL in the expectation that they may win the election would only compound to the untennability of your collective position, and your suitability to govern. You started it, so now finish the job!
Austin Farrugia
Jun 19th 2011, 14:47
All he needs to do is just dissolve all the members of the cabinet and put fresh liberal blood in the offing....................of course liberal ones
Alistor Aguis
Jun 19th 2011, 12:59
Oh good so I expect a talk about secularization Dr Gonzi
Mr A Bonello
Jun 19th 2011, 12:26
Liberal = family planning centers that provides free contraception/sexual education to curb early teen pregnancies in each village.Classifying narcotics IE: Class A narcotics/Class B narcotics(the difference between the user and the pusher,harsher penalties on the pusher,help and less hindrance on the user),the acceptance of same sex marriages,total removal of censorship,indroduction secularism,introduction of divorce.
So far the Nationalist Party has no manifesto that defines liberalism for Malta.I back the PN to please introduce broader more progressive thinkers/candidates for the antiquated PN that definitely needs to restructure.
One must note that the Labour Party will come out as the more secular progressive liberal party for Malta.
The constitution must be amended in order for a more free liberal secular society that is badly need here in Malta.
Mr Anthony Mifsud Bonnici
Jun 19th 2011, 12:25
Biex jibqghu jerdaw lil Malta ha jippruvaw jiggranfaw mal-poter billi jduru fuq nies 'liberali' skond ma qed jghidu huma. Nies li jaslu jaghmlu kollox mhux ghal pajjiz imma ghalihom u ghal hbieb taghhom. Poplu qum mir-raqda u thalluhomx aktar juzawk.
Alex Saliba
Jun 19th 2011, 12:17
Liberal candidates within a staunchly conservative party! It would be foolish for a liberal to opt for PN!
Ms D Galea
Jun 19th 2011, 12:12
Might I be bold enough to humbly suggest that the present PN concentrates on RETAINING its attraction to conservative floating voters and stop dancing to Joe Muscat's phony pseudo-liberal tune ?
Mr Mike Abbot
Jun 19th 2011, 15:35
PN has only ever held on to power because of liberal floating voters - there is no such thing as a conservative floating voter... at least not in any meaningful capacity.
A Dimech
Jun 19th 2011, 12:12
I would say I am a Liberal; And as a Liberal I would expect PN to respect the democratic wishes of the People and say YES to divorce. I expect PN to change its stanch.
Then we can start talking....
Jon Agius
Jun 19th 2011, 11:53
SO IT'S TRUE THAT GONZIPN CREATES JOBS!!!!............ SITUATIONS VACANT: URGENT LIBERAL PEOPLE WANTED TO JOIN GONZIPN. SALARY TO BE NEGOTIATED SECRETLY BUT BONUSES AND PAY RISE IS GUARANTEED.
Mario Grima
Jun 19th 2011, 10:58
Are you really trying to attract 'liberal' candidates when GonziPN wants to rid itself from the few ones which are already on board? Moreover, the weight of the extreme conservatives which the party already boasts of, like Beppe Fenech Adami, Edwin Vassallo and Doleres Cristina will shun away any eventual candidates. In the PN you either support Gonzi, who is another extreme conservative or else you stand no chance of making the grade, so much so for inclusion.
Mr Stephen Florian
Jun 19th 2011, 10:55
Now why do you expect us to be so gullable...?
Sandro Pace
Jun 19th 2011, 10:49
There is nothing wrong for a political party to have a liberal / conservative mix, in moderate doses. Or persons themselves with the same mix. Yet the fact is that the major pending 'liberal' issue in Malta has been settled about a month ago. (unless one considers future tempering with the divorce law as voted for, which is undemocratic).
I think that on abortion, same sex civil partnership, drug legalisation, IVF in principle and most other issues, both Parties as with the pesent leaders are on the same wavelength more or less. And that is good. I dont know about sexual education, but I have the impression that for the sake of health, this has to be 'modernised' a bit, without promoting permissivity of course.
Also, as long as the government provides social services, from my taxes, one cannot expect the government not to poke its nose in people's affairs, in my name, for the specific purpose to curb abuse. For example, you should never have the liberty to forget who is the father of your children.
Mr Anton Portelli
Jun 19th 2011, 10:47
"A number of so-called ‘liberal’ party officials have been tasked with identifying and approaching “open-minded, moderate” individuals who could stand for the PN in the next general election – scheduled to take place in 2013."
They should hurry up - unfortunately one of the best possible candidates, Dr Schembri, has been already taken by the PL.
They should certainly stop listening to EFA's preachings and try to heal up the rift in the party and stop rubbing salt into the wounds of thse party supporters who are waiting to change their life from forced cohabitation to marriage.
Ultra conservatives should stop bullying the liberals and show tolerance to new ideas otherwise it will be very difficult to find new blood to avoid a big defeat come 2013 or even before!
Sandro Pace
Jun 19th 2011, 10:53
As if elections are won or lost on such issues. They may influence a bit, but ultimately, its the economy, specifically the spending power.
Mr William Pierce
Jun 19th 2011, 10:44
"Liberalism is an essentially feminine, submissive world view. Perhaps a better adjective than feminine is infantile. It is the world view of men who do not have the moral toughness, the spiritual strength to stand up and do single combat with life, who cannot adjust to the reality that the world is not a huge, pink-and-blue, padded nursery in which the lions lie down with the lambs and everyone lives happily ever after."
Mr Peter Korsten
Jun 19th 2011, 14:51
Liberalism means that I don't accept other people to tell me what's good for me. Do you want me to tell you in more forceful terms to stay out of my business, to convince you that I'm anything but feminine? Give me a break.
Mr Victor Laiviera
Jun 19th 2011, 10:33
May I suggest Clyde Attard?
Charles Sammut
Jun 19th 2011, 10:30
FAT CHANCE..PIGS WILL FLY FIRST!!
GO..GONZI..GO.!
...and the beat goes on...and the beat goes on....
Charlie Borg
Jun 19th 2011, 10:19
Biex il-Partit Nazzjonalista igedded lilu nnifsu, il-PM Gonzi jrid jirrizenja u jara li ssir elezzjoni hielsa fi hdan il-Partit - mhux kif sar fi zmienu - biex l-ahjar persuna tigi maghzula: persuna li tkun mohhha miftuh bizzejjed biex tisma' u tagixxi skont il-htigiet tal-mument tal-pajjiz.
Certi nies li ilhom hafna zmien fit-tmun tal-partit u li huma mid-DNA taghhom konservattivi, bhal nghidu ahna Tonio Borg, Austin Gatt, Beppe Fenech Adami, ecc.... iridu jwarrbu w ihallu post ghal demm iktar gdid u iktar modern.
L-ex president Fenech Adami hemm bzonn li verament JIRTIRA mill-hajja politika u jalla jwettaq dak li ilu jghid li jrid jaghmel: jiehu hsieb in-neputijiet tieghu. Ihallina bi kwietna u ma jippruvaw jindahal aktar.
U fuq kollox, hemm bzonn li l-Partit Nazzjonalista jistrieh mill-bankijiet tal-Oppozizzjoni.
Noel Mifsud
Jun 19th 2011, 10:15
L-Ikbar liberali u l ikbar liberta tkun meta taghmel pjacir lil partit u lil Malta u tirrizenja minn mexjje ghax part tkisser, u mhux kissirtu, kulhadd ghal rasu u ghal hbieb tal hbieb sur PM.
Mr David Farrugia
Jun 19th 2011, 10:15
By the way....YOUNG does not necessarily mean LIBERAL. During the last referendum debate period, I was shocked by comments mouthed by some of my younger friends!
Mr M Borg
Jun 19th 2011, 14:15
It all depends on the meaning you give to the word " liberal ". If to you that means " anything goes ", then maybe your friends know better !!
Joe Grech
Jun 19th 2011, 10:12
Will the P.N. also be reviewing what goes on in our Courts - the administrative sector that is for I am very much aware that ''the laws of the country are based on the Constitutional doctrine of the separation of powers'' Like hell the P.N. needs to do that cause citizens have for far too long been hit hard by the inefficiency, laissez faire and possible illegalities that emanate from that quarter. Not to mention Mepa ridiculous permits that affect Third Parties so badly. Citizens blame the present administration for their ills - like I myself do.
Surely Minister for Justice Carm Mifsud Bonnici should do something when a Citizen reports that , following a Bomb Scare that is over at 11am a Magistrate unilaterally transfered the remainder of the day's hearing to a date six months later to the consternation and justified anger of all those who had turned up at that particular Court hall in vain - myself included! As far as I know the Minister has done nothing.
How on earth can the Minister expect the Court Case loads to decrease if he does not do anything about the feedback people send him about the goings on in a number of court halls?
I have of course also reported the incident to Dr. Deborah Farrugia, Secretary to the Commission for the Administration of Justice who has so far only sent me an acknowledgement.
Mr William Flynn
Jun 19th 2011, 10:12
This is a message for the PL in opposition. The PN is confirming my own perception of its weakness. It is significant that Dr Muscat has done nothing to exploit this gift from his nemesis. He has a window of opportunity to grab a slice of the disenchanted PN liberals and he's done nothing about it except hang on the coat tails of Dr Jeffery Pullicino Orlando.
The PN is on the back foot and its cabinet is in a state of vertigo; but Dr Muscat is doing nothing to block any possible face-saving route for them to wiggle out of.
Dr Muscat still has time to grab the initiative with a number of secular issues and he can take his party so far ahead that the PM will be left spitting his dust.
Dr Muscat should start by moving on Article 2 boots 'n' all, then this nonsense with IVFrestrictions and other liberal and civil liberties issues.
Sandro Pace
Jun 19th 2011, 12:58
Fortunately you are wasting your time on this article 2 of yours. Both Dr. Gonzi and Dr. Muscat sees nothing wrong with this article, and according to their public declarations, they have no intentions to remove.
You are interpreting the referendum result in a very wrong way. That article is not only etched in the constitution, but also in the hearts and minds of the Maltese people, including tens of thousands who voted 'yes', who still consider themselves Christians and Catholics, this Religion as the mainstream of the Maltese nation for centuries, while respecting the others, and the Church with all its human defects, as God's representative on earth.
In essence, God will never be removed from our constitution, our national anthem, administrative oaths...etc. etc. If those things bother you, it is not our problem.
Mr David Farrugia
Jun 19th 2011, 10:12
Surely not that Angelo (li jifhem f kollox)!
guido cutajar
Jun 19th 2011, 10:07
Dr. Gonzi... ask Dr. Joseph Muscat what you should do to create a " Partit tal progressivi, liberali , u moderati ". Gejna sew f`dan il pajjiz............Il pulitika gibtha bhal hanut tal kafe`. Ghax hanut ikun sejjer tajjeb, ikun hemm ghaxra jifthu bhalu. Ezatt bhax xadini, li gejjin minnhom. Jekk wiehed ihokk il patata, kullhadd ihokk il patata. Ftit iehor u ikollna " A one state party " jekk mhux diga qeghdin.
Edward Saguna
Jun 19th 2011, 09:54
The vocation of a political party is to serve the country and safeguard the country's best interests rather than to sell its soul out in order to be in government. My preference for the Nationalist Party has always been based on the fact that it has done this better than the other alternatives in the country, albeit mistakes and negligences.
I do hope that the liberalism that the Nationalist Party is considering is responsible liberalism. Liberalism based on the respect of every citizen whilst considering the country's common good.
P Borg
Jun 19th 2011, 09:54
I think that the only way forward is for the Nationalist Party to divide itself into two parties: the Liberals and the Conservatives. Malta will have three parties and perhaps the two former Nationalist Parties will form an alliance in future. The way I see it, Labour will win the next election hands down and with a huge majority and that will only spell disaster to Malta, we would definitely become a second Greece if Labour is in power. Just wait and see...
Charles J. Buttigieg
Jun 19th 2011, 09:42
Cosmetics will bring no intrinsic changes. Send Laurence to the Vatican and bring Johnny home. We deserve a good man to lead an effective opposition and John Dalli is very good for that purpose.
Mr Paul Cassar
Jun 19th 2011, 09:40
DEAR PRIME MINISTER,
WITH YOUR PAR IDEJN SODI YOU HAVE REALLY MANAGED TO BRING THE PARTY TO SHAMBLES.
FACTIONS AGAINST FACTIONS AND PRINCIPLES EMBROILED ROUND EVERY CORNER.
REALLY GREAT !!!!!!!!!!
Mr Carmel Debono
Jun 19th 2011, 09:35
Gonz, your time is up u warbu min nofs!
Jeremy Spiteri
Jun 19th 2011, 10:05
Bilmoghod .. qisek diehel int bi kliemek... tahseb li Muscat sa jitkellem f'ismek?
Ibqa ohlom habib.
Mr ALFRED MICALLEF
Jun 19th 2011, 09:35
SITUATION VACANT - Urgently required: LIBERAL Party leader, Party general secretary and
a number of liberal minded members. Please apply PN.
Mr N Zahra
Jun 19th 2011, 09:25
The Prime Minister could start by making some changes to his cabinet by replacing some of the ultra-conservatives with more liberal members... It's not as if they don't exist already - they've just all been marginalized.
Mr Anthony Mizzi
Jun 19th 2011, 09:17
Who will be vetting the C.V. and doing the interviews for "Liberal" Prospective Gonzipn/PN candidates?
Who will be on the interviewing board?
What qualities/ status/ religion believe, inclinations will be required for these Liberal Prospective PN Candidates to qualify?
Mr Joseph Brincat
Jun 19th 2011, 09:14
Liberal like EFA!
(jb)
Mr Albert Farrugia
Jun 19th 2011, 09:10
..and this when Joseph Muscat is routinely accused of trying to "please everybody" with his policies.
Daniel Camilleri
Jun 19th 2011, 10:08
yeah !!! so now we will have 2 parties that will please everbody
Victor Rodenas
Jun 19th 2011, 09:06
Mr.Psajla is right we all have to adapt to the changes of the world,especially if the majority wants them.To look at the future one has to heed what youngsters need and want,remaining anchored with rusty old chains is dangereous,old rusty chains break and the ship is doomed.Old anchors and chains have to be replaced,...especially if there is stormy seas around us.
Mr william cauchi
Jun 19th 2011, 09:05
Suppose a few liberals do come on board and join the PN. What difference will it make??
OK they can make themselves heard in the party ........but as long as there is in command the present bunch of ultra conservatives........the result will be zero.
Why!! When it comes to bring in the necessary changes they will always be outvoted.
Dear liberal thinking PN candidate thank you for your comments, which have been noted and appreciated..............but the party cannot forsake it's policies and principals, and is deciding differently.