The Nationalist Party is showing strong signs of revival following its disastrous defeat in the 2013 general election. It is on the ball on most issues and is also coming up with prompt, well-reasoned reactions to the government’s wrong and dubious moves or decisions.

The encouraging result it obtained in the April local council elections has infused the party with fresh enthusiasm and given its leaders renewed confidence that it is set to keep narrowing the gap, even though the way forward is still very much uphill.

Simon Busuttil is gaining increasing stature as party leader and strategic decisions are bound to deliver the goods. One of those was to ask Chris Said not to seek re-election as general secretary of the party on the termination of his term to be able to focus on the party’s affairs in Gozo. The move came in the wake of the resignation of Giovanna Debono, the party’s stalwart Gozo member, after her husband was charged with misappropriation in connection with the ‘work-for-votes’ scam. Mr Debono has denied the charges.

In light of these developments, and of the fact that the party did not do so well in the council elections in Gozo, the move to ask Dr Said to “take charge” of Gozo makes sense, considering the popularity he enjoys there.

The next important step is for the party to elect a new general secretary to take Dr Said’s place. The party is not doing away with the post, as Labour has done. In the local political context, and especially in that of the Nationalist Party, the person occupying the post has always played a pivotal role. Other posts within the new party structure may have nibbled away some of the power (and lustre) of the general secretary, especially following the election of a deputy leader for party affairs, and the appointment of the chief executive officer of the party’s commercial arm.

But, even in the new set-up, the general secretary would still have important duties to perform, such as ensuring cohesion and coordination.

Joseph Muscat has fallen so short of his promises on good governance that his government has considerably increased the people’s disenchantment with politicians.

There have been so many ‘mistakes’, so many cases that have weakened his government’s credibility, that people are hardly to blame if they are sceptical about every new initiative or project the government announces.

Dealing with knocks – the PN is getting its fair share of these – is par for the course in politics. After all, there is hardly a political party anywhere that is pure as the driven snow. The task ahead for the PN is to convince the people that it will not follow Labour’s politics of convenience if it is entrusted with power again. Top party officials must also stop patting themselves on the back – let the electorate do that.

It is essential for the PN to take a clear stand on certain issues even if they might not be approved by the hardcore – the same way Dr Muscat did when he was Opposition leader.

PN deputy leader Mario de Marco rightly acknowledged the environmental mistakes made by his own party in government and insisted they cannot be repeated in the name of economic growth and for which the country was now paying the price.

With a Labour government bent on selling every piece of Malta for money, the environment could well the pivot upon which the PN can build a new wave of support.