A united Nationalist Party

I am confident that the Nationalist Party will manage to regain its lost ground by reconnecting with the people and shifting to a more progressive style of politics with Simon Busuttil as leader. I was immensely pleased upon seeing the reactions of Mario de Marco, Francis Zammit Dimech and Raymond Bugeja as Busuttil was announced leader. Their reactions contrasted in style but they were all bound by the unity in which they were presented.

Bugeja, who seemed moved, showed no sign of disdain in spite of obtaining the least number of votes. Zammit Dimech was his usual jolly self, and I feel was given the warm applause of a Nationalist loyal patriarch, and of course de Marco’s speech was an act of class and sheer grace. I’m sure his late father would have been immensely proud. This is the unity and prospectiveness the Nationalist Party must project.

It was puerile of Labour supporters to welcome Busuttil’s succession with remarks like “with him as leader, we can already start to celebrate our next election win”.

However, I feel that the image of his party, and even of himself as a post-election leader, is a tough nut to crack for Busuttil.

Unlike Labour’s artificial face-lifts, after Joseph Muscat’s succession as leader in 2008, the Nationalist Party should be different by seeking first and foremost a re-assessment of positions held within the party, a clearer path of communication between the party and the people, and all this while holding on to the party’s roots, but with a rebranded mentality.