Nationalist MEP Simon Busuttil was declared PN deputy leader yesterday after thrashing his rival, Finance Minister Tonio Fenech, in a vote that was nowhere as close as predicted.

“Today the Nationalist Party won,” enthused Dr Busuttil as he was cheered by supporters who filled the PN headquarters in Pietà.

Dr Busuttil, who ran on a platform of change and reconciliation with disgruntled Nationalists, won 640 votes.

Despite the backing of most Cabinet members and the limelight he enjoyed this Budget week, Mr Fenech got just 241 votes.

Having exceeded the two-thirds quota of 590 votes, Dr Busuttil was declared outright winner.

In an address soon after the result was announced, Mr Fenech said this was a difficult choice for councillors, whose ultimate decision made his two young children very happy.

“The best thing about this contest is that it remained one among friends,” he said, vouching to keep working for the party. “This party is much newer than the Labour Party... I am proud to be a Nationalist,” he added.

Thanking them for their overwhelming support, Dr Busuttil urged councillors to immediately start work on winning the forthcoming election.

Vowing that the PN would return the loyalty shown by Mr Fenech, he appealed for the party to build bridges with those who distanced themselves from it or felt abandoned.

“This is the party of the people, the party with open doors, the party that listens... this is the party that is inclusive. Popular but not populist. A party based on the principle of unity in diversity,” he said.

As long as everyone gave their utmost, the PN could convince the electorate once again that this was the party for positive change, he said, urging councillors to start believing that the party could indeed win again.

Dr Busuttil told the press later that he would wait for the Prime Minister’s instructions regarding the future of his role as an MEP.

Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi described the deputy leadership election as a “glorious moment”, which showed that the real agent of change and renewal was the PN.

Urging councillors to build on the enthusiasm of this party election and start persuading people to keep the PN in government, Dr Gonzi addressed voters and said: “Wait for us, we will

be coming to convince you that our politics are the best.”

Dr Busuttil succeeds Tonio Borg, who has already taken up his role as European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Affairs.

Earlier in the day, Dr Busuttil and Mr Fenech accompanied Dr Gonzi when he arrived to vote at the PN headquarters.

A large crowd of law graduates greeted the three with cheers, whistles and foghorns as well as chants of “Gonzi, Gonzi, Gonzi”.

Dr Busuttil and Mr Fenech addressed the press together, exuding friendly smiles as they promised to keep working for the party in the run-up to the election, regardless of the vote’s outcome.

This has been described as a contest between friends and it was a silent campaign, though it did heat up somewhat at the very end. Mr Fenech uploaded a list of his most prominent supporters on his Facebook page and also included names of MPs who soon after denied their involvement in his campaign, namely Philip Mifsud and Stephen Spiteri.

Mr Fenech’s supporters also sent text messages to the same effect.

Dr Busuttil ran on a platform of change and reconciliation with those who have distanced themselves from the party, including in his list of 26 endorsers people who have not always had smooth relations with Dr Gonzi, including former European commissioner Joe Borg, MP Jean-Pierre Farrugia and former ambassador Richard Muscat.

Mr Fenech joined the race with an impressive list of more than 130 councillors backing him, including the vast majority of the Cabinet.

The figures

Eligible voters:913

Votes collected:888

Votes cast:884

Statutory two-thirds majority:590

Simon Busuttil:640 (72.4%)

Tonio Fenech:241 (27.3%)

Invalid votes:3

Tonio Fenech, Lawrence Gonzi and Simon Busuttil on stage after the vote result last night. Photo: Chris Sant Fournier