The Nationalist Party convenes its general council, aptly named ‘Nagħmlu d-differenza’ (We make a difference) on Sunday. We are barely a month away from the next round of local council elections and it’s an uphill battle for the PN.
Most of the localities where the elections will be held have consistently retained a Labour majority. Despite the obvious hurdles, the PN is determined to make a difference on a local level.
However, despite the importance of the local elections, the PN should look beyond April 11.
The most pressing issue at stake is a return to good moral leadership.
Unfortunately, two years after a landslide victory at the polls, the electorate cannot look at the Prime Minister for moral leadership. The scandalous way he handled the Café Premier issue – in his failure to do the right thing – shows up his littleness. To the law-abiding citizen, Simon Busuttil needs to be seen as champion of good moral leadership. He has what it takes.
This is what Busuttil can offer and Muscat can’t. This is the stark difference between the two leaders. There are no shades of grey.
On a party level, Busuttil has come a long way. He took the helm of the PN when it was flat on its back and, against all odds, managed to drive a much-needed change from within. By time, he rediscovered the PN’s sense of moral purpose. The PN won the people’s trust when it was able to demonstrate that it is the most effective party in transforming our country.
In the last two years, the PN had its shortcomings too; a rebuilding process has its ups and downs. However, today, Busuttil is proving to be an assertive leader and a thorn in the government’s side.
The most pressing issue at stake is a return to good moral leadership
Despite a nine-seat majority in Parliament, faced with an assertive PN leader, the Prime Minister had no choice but to do a political u-turn and allow the next round of local council elections to happen.
The PN’s democratic credentials are undisputed: they have always been so and remain so today, as attested by the party’s vociferous opposition to Labour’s attempt to cancel the 2015 local council elections.
Of course, despite doing its best to reach out to disgruntled Nationalists and middle-of-the road voters, the PN needs to do more and heal the wounds that it has inflicted over the years due to its, at times, lack of sensitivity.
This is the feedback I consistently get from my house visits. The PN needs to make a bigger effort in reaching out to the younger generation and understand better the changes happening in our society. The policy fora are a step in the right direction for this to happen but these alone are not enough.
For the PN to understand better the people’s requirements and aspirations, it needs to be closer to the people at all levels. Opportunities for all have always been the hallmark of the PN and Nationalist administrations. However, it must strive to become more inclusive with regard to people of different backgrounds.
People expect the PN general council to chart the way forward to April 11 and beyond. People want the PN to prove it is proud of its values: equality, opportunities for all and good moral leadership.
Moral leadership is about doing the right thing. It is not about an inflexible mindset and attitude but about justice, equality, fairness, inclusivity and equal opportunities for all.
Most importantly, the electorate needs to be convinced that Busuttil’s PN is very different from the couldn’t-care-less-anything-goes attitude often demonstrated by the Muscat administration.
The next few months are crucial for the PN. It is only by continuing to demonstrate the ability to deliver moral leadership will it convince people it has a clear sense of purpose and a meaningful future in the years to come. This, I believe, is the way forward for the PN.
psailazammit@gmail.com
Alessia Psaila Zammit is a lawyer and a PN candidate for the Siġġiewi local council elections