The resignation of Simon Busuttil and the ensuing contest for the election of a new leader appears to have put the Nationalist Party in a self-destruct mode. This is clearly evident from the ill-advised campaigning of certain contestants as well as the emerging cliques, abetted by some hot-headed councillors and even certain MPs, who were responsible for the party’s massive defeat.

The back-stabbers have now been unmasked, although the mastermind remains unknown. The scenario we are now witnessing confirms that Simon Busuttil was too honest and politically clean to continue to lead the party and certain elements within had never accepted him and had been conniving for his downfall from day one.

We are now being regaled by a parody, much to the delight of the Labour Party and the disgust of true Nationalists, who hold the values of the party at heart. What distinguishes the PN from the PL is being obliterated and populism is being endorsed by certain elements of the PN, creating a severe split among the party faithful.

These people, including their champion (who is in it only for personal gain) do not realise the damage they are afflicting on the party. They believe, mistakenly, that by adopting Joseph Muscat’s populism the PN stands a better chance of winning the next election.

They have to be reminded that the PL had to spend practically 25 years in the wilderness before it made it to government and it had taken the PN 16 years to oust the previous corrupt Labour government.

There is still time to stop the party from self-destruction and the only way to do it is to close ranks behind the only candidate who has the experience and the knowledge of party affairs as well as parliamentary expertise.

This is no time for experiments, it is time for consolidation.