The Prime Minister is today expected to map out the way forward for his party and explain how he proposes to fully engage the backbench to try to avert an election for as long as possible.
A March general election has all but been ruled out
At today’s PN extraordinary general council Lawrence Gonzi is likely to assert his leadership and emphasise the importance of stability in the current international economic climate, party sources told The Sunday Times.
However, he will also have to address the Franco Debono issue – which has dominated the political agenda since the start of the year – and the fact that his parliamentary majority must now be fought for on a daily basis.
After accusing Dr Gonzi of “raping the soul of the country” and threatening to bring down the government, Dr Debono abstained on the opposition’s motion of no confidence on Thursday, giving thegovernment an indefinite lifeline. Sources also said neither the parliamentary group nor the executive had met since Thursday’s vote and that discussions since then were only held with a select few.
In the wake of the vote, Dr Gonzi promised to take “internal initiatives” to ensure he had the full backing of the Nationalist Party, which means he must today give a clear indication of what steps will be taken, sources said.
Some hoped the Prime Minister would even go into the detail of which legislation he will prioritise in the coming months, possibly acceding to some of Dr Debono’s demands, such as the need to enact legislation drafted by the MP on party financing.
Sources said there is consensus that appeasing Dr Debono could be a dangerous game. Since opinion polls show the Labour Party leading the PN by a wide margin, the party is hoping to postpone elections as long as Dr Debono allows that to be possible, with every extra week being cherished.
A March general election has all but been ruled out, one senior official said.
The party is unlikely to integrate Dr Debono into the heart of government since his actions – and more so, his words – have deepened the level of animosity with the higher echelons of the Nationalist administration. However, the fact that he abstained is being seen as having come back from the brink, one party source said.
Meanwhile, The Sunday Times spoke to several Nationalist MPs to see how they viewed Dr Debono’s abstention. Dr Debono is adamantly refusing to comment any further.