The Nationalist Party has defended controversial candidate's Salvu Mallia’s outbursts, saying he spoke "from his heart"” to convey his "outrage" against the Labour government.
Times of Malta sought the party's reaction to Mr Mallia's latest Facebook remarks in which he again resorted to colourful language to respond to his critics.
The TV-presenter-turned-candidate was reacting to the criticism levelled against him in the wake of his views on euthanasia and abortion, which he expressed in an interview with The Sunday Times of Malta last weekend.
Noting that Mr Mallia was on the PN ticket to join the "coalition against corruption" spearheaded by Opposition leader Simon Busuttil, a party spokesman said Mr Mallia felt "cheated" by Prime Minister Joseph Muscat.
“He [Salvu Mallia] is furious that our country has been taken over by a corrupt gang in Castille. So his sentiment is more than understandable,” the spokesman said.
“He certainly speaks from the heart, and if he chooses to use colourful language to do so, it’s only because he is outraged at what he is seeing,” he added.
If he chooses to use colourful language to do so, it’s only because he is outraged at what he is seeing
Referring to what he termed as the PN's fight against “the most corrupt government” ever, the spokesman said the only way forward was for everyone to put their differences aside and unite behind Dr Busuttil.
In his interview, Mr Mallia also said he had joined the PN on two conditions: that he would be solely guided by his conscience and that he would put the Maltese flag before anything else.
Questions on whether those were the only conditions that he imposed on the party remain unanswered.
Approved as a general election candidate in October, Mr Mallia last month made headlines for the wrong reasons after hurling abuse at the Labour government and its supporters. He refused to apologise for his remarks, and stepped up his criticism, constantly putting himself and the PN in the Labour Party's line of fire.
His views in favour of euthanasia and his pro-choice stance on abortion are in direct conflict with the PN's conservative beliefs.
Faced by mounting criticism from within and from the pro-life camp, Opposition leader Simon Busuttil on Monday was forced to issue a statement reasserting his stand against euthanasia and abortion. Nevertheless, this did little to quell internal scepticism about Mr Mallia’s candidature, a feeling that has been present since he joined the party.