An election to decide who will lead the Nationalist Party will be held on February 25 with the incumbent, Lawrence Gonzi, widely expected to be the only contestant.
The election date was decided yesterday at a meeting of the PN executive committee and nominations will be received from Monday.
Even if Dr Gonzi is the only contestant he will have to obtain two-thirds of the votes cast, failing which a second round would be held a week later on March 3. A simple majority would suffice in the second round.
In brief comments after the executive meeting, Dr Gonzi said he was pleased the process leading up to the leadership contest had been launched quickly.
Dr Gonzi called the contest last Sunday during a meeting of the PN general council. In the wake of severe criticism by Nationalist backbencher Franco Debono, he assumed responsibility for some mistakes that the government may have committed.
The MP abstained in Parliament on a vote of no-confidence last month, sending shockwaves down the government’s spine and leaving it hanging by a thread. Dr Debono has since refused to say how he will vote in future.
In his first reaction after yesterday’s executive committee decision, the MP simply referred this newspaper to what he implied was a significant part of his university thesis that talked about political parties being run by cliques.
Dr Debono again refused to be drawn into saying how he will behave in Parliament but quoted from his thesis that delved into the dangers of shifting the “oligarchic tendencies” of a political party onto national institutions, especially when constitutional checks and balances were not up to scratch.
In scathing criticism before the no-confidence vote, the MP had described the current Administration as an oligarchy – a country run by the few for the few – and accused Dr Gonzi of being held hostage by a clique.
Part of the thesis quoted by Dr Debono yesterday also spoke of a party’s central bureaucracy having “a strategic advantage in developing power” and being made up of “full-time professionals with intimate and detailed knowledge of political problems and with experience in manipulating the party apparatus”.
In a statement announcing the election date, the PN executive said voting will take place on February 25 between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. in Malta and between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. in Gozo.
The result will be announced on the same day and, if a second round is not needed, the party leader will address the general council the day after.
If a second round is needed the party leader will address the council on March 4, a day after it is held.
The executive also nominated the electoral commission that will oversee the process. It is chaired by former minister Michael Refalo, who is assisted by MEP David Casa, lawyer Anne Fenech (representing the PN’s political education academy, AZAD), Sonia Vancell (president of the PN women’s movement, MNPN) and Boris Xerri (PN treasurer).
ksansone@timesofmalta.com
Prime Minister and Nationalist Party leader Lawrence Gonzi talking to journalists after yesterday's executive committee meeting. Photo: Jason Borg