MPs Mario de Marco and Beppe Fenech Adami could both become deputy leaders of the Nationalist Party after the executive council yesterday agreed to propose a change to the party’s statute to have two deputies.
The proposed amendment - on a motion by newly elected party leader Simon Busuttil - would, for the first time, introduce the position of a PN deputy leader for party affairs to work alongside another for parliamentary affairs.
We want to open up the party in order to benefit from any help so that it can rebuild its strength
“I see this as an important decision which shows that, from the very beginning of my role as PN leader, I want to send the message that the leadership of the PN will be a team-led one... that it is open and that it is decentralised,” Dr Busuttil told journalists.
He was speaking at the party headquarters after holding meetings with the PN administrative council, the parliamentary group and the party executive.
The decision to amend the party’s statute will be taken by councillors during an extraordinary general meeting on Sunday. If approved, the election of the two deputy leaders will be held on May 25 as planned. However, nominations for the roles of the two deputy leaders will open on Monday and not tomorrow.
Dr Busuttil said the executive did not discuss the possibility of introducing the role of chief executive officer within the party.
However, these were matters to be considered over the next few days, he said.
“It is important that there are many people involved and we want to open up the party in order to benefit from any help so that it can rebuild its strength,” he said.
Having two deputies reflects the model used by the Labour Party. The executive’s proposal comes against a background of reports that leadership runner-up Dr de Marco was urged to contest the post of deputy.
Dr de Marco has said he will not contest the post but left the door ajar later saying he was prepared to serve in whatever position the party asked him to.
The leading contestant for the post of deputy leader, so far, appeared to be Dr Fenech Adami. When contacted, he confirmed that he would be contesting the election “notwithstanding who contests the election” with him.
Others mentioned as possible contenders for the deputy leadership, former ministers Jason Azzopardi and Joseph Cassar, have now said they will not contest.
When contacted, both MPs said they took their decision “for the good of the party”, despite being pushed to run.
Dr Azzopardi said he took his decision following the leadership election last Saturday, which saw Dr Busuttil getting half the votes, Dr de Marco and Francis Zammit Dimech dropping out of the second round and Raymond Bugeja being eliminated.
“I believe that in these situations, it is not what I desired, or was encouraged to do, that counts, but what my sense of duty and responsibility towards the party dictates,” he said.
Dr Cassar, on his part, said people were still encouraging him to enter the race “but for the good of the party, I believe I should focus my energy on other aspects”.
Meanwhile, the party’s parliamentary group yesterday unanimously approved a vote of confidence in Dr Busuttil as new leader, allowing him to take the oath as Opposition Leader. The date has not yet been set.
The parliamentary group also thanked the other three leadership contenders and former leader Lawrence Gonzi for his nine years of leadership during which he served the Maltese with “total commitment and dedication”.