The Nationalist Party’s dismal result at this weekend’s local council elections has been described by the Prime Minister’s “special delegate” as “nothing short of an electoral meltdown”.

We must regain people’s trust. Otherwise, we are doomed

“I take this to be an ultimatum. Unless we get it right in the next 12 months, we are heading for a certain electoral defeat,” MEP Simon Busuttil said yesterday.

Dr Busuttil, recently tasked with bringing the party closer to civil society as Lawrence Gonzi’s “special delegate”, said the results were worse than he expected but increased his determination to deliver.

Though Labour won by a “massive majority” (56 per cent compared to the PN’s 42 per cent), the low turnout showed that traditional PN voters preferred to stay home than switch to Labour.

Voters sent a clear message to the PN that it must reconnect with the people, Dr Busuttil said.

“This means listening to people, not just talking to them. The challenge is huge but not impossible because the PN has got it more or less right on policy and substance,” he said.

“It is on communications that the PN has failed badly. As a result, it has alienated voters and eroded their trust. We must regain people’s trust. Otherwise, we are doomed.”

Dr Busuttil referred to the speech by Dr Gonzi two weeks ago when he was reconfirmed party leader and said his message had to be implemented.

In his address to the media on Sunday after the result was out, Dr Gonzi conceded that the electorate was fed up of partisan politics, arrogance and bureaucracy and simply wanted efficient and sincere politicians.

“The message to us all is that we need to hear what families are telling us. We need to be closer to the people than we have been so far.”