Former minister Mario de Marco officially submitted his candidature yesterday to become the Nationalist Party’s next leader.
Political parties must reflect society’s needs, not expect society to reflect theirs- Dr de Marco
He entered the contest a few hours before nominations closed at noon, joining party deputy leader Simon Busuttil and former minister Francis Zammit Dimech in the race to take the PN reins come May 4.
Businessman Ray Bugeja, considered to be a rank outsider, also threw his hat in the ring.
Dr de Marco pledged “less divisive and negative” politics and argued that the PN needed a leader who could build bridges and encourage fresh faces and ideas to come forward.
“Political parties must reflect society’s needs, not expect society to reflect theirs,” he said.
“People want less politics in their everyday lives but a more effective form of doing politics.”
The former minister is scheduled to explain his leadership bid, which was signed by more than 20 councillors, in greater detail at a press conference today.
He pointed to his long experience within the PN, from sectional committee president to party executive, backbencher and finally Cabinet member, as an asset.
“These experiences brought me closer to various parts of society. And as minister, I lived the tourism and cultural sectors and came to understand the country’s environmental needs and aspirations,” he said.
Perhaps mindful of his own politically infused childhood, Dr de Marco said he had thought long and hard about running for party leader.
“I am a father of two young children, and my duty is to them first and foremost. Public life often comes at a price, and that price is most often borne by politicians’ immediate families. But I have their backing, and I feel I can contribute to the party,” he said.
Mr Bugeja pitched himself as the non-establishment candidate, saying he was there to lend a voice to the PN grassroots and turn the party into one that belonged to all the people, not an inner party structure.
The PN’s terrible showing at the polls was not healthy, he said. A democratic society needed a viable leadership alternative, and if the PN was to offer one, it needed renewal from its very core.
“There will be no marketing, PR or slogans – this is not a business,” he read from a prepared statement.
“I will be doing my utmost to explain my plans to party councillors without tediously using the media throughout the campaign.”
Mr Bugeja gave an indication of what this meant by declining to give any further comments to the press. He subsequently did not respond to a request for the number of councillors who had signed his nomination.
PN general secretary Paul Borg Olivier said the election result was disappointing, but the party could not dwell on the past; it had to renew itself and look to the future. Dr Borg Olivier said Dr de Marco’s candidature was testament to his sense of duty and service towards the party.
Mr Bugeja’s nomination, he said, was proof that the party was open to all its members, even its less active ones.