Simon Busuttil accepted a huge responsibility last night when he was formally elected leader of the Nationalist Party.
Not only does he follow in a line of high-calibre individuals, but he has taken on the mantle at a time when the PN is at something of a crossroads. This presents a double challenge.
The first thing he will need to do is take stock, a proper and detailed analysis of why the PN lost the election and set about addressing those issues.
Concurrently he must also understand why the party itself approached the 2013 election in such a divided state and ensure the Nationalists are a strong, united force come 2018.
The primary reason the Nationalist Party is today not in government – leaving aside the fact that it had been in power for more than two decades and that after years in the wilderness Labour successfully presented itself as credible alternative – is because it lost touch with the people.
It was getting most of the underpinning factors right, primarily its management of the economy even though it allowed Malta’s GDP to go a little awry at the end of its term, bringing the prospect of excessive deficit procedure by the EU, but it consistently failed to communicate its message.
Worse, it took certain decisions – raising honoraria for ministers and a confused position on the divorce referendum – that were completely out of sync with the electorate’s thinking.
When well-meaning critics pointed these things out, it reacted not by attempting to remedy the situation but by burying its head further in the sand and adopting a siege mentality.
This handicap was compounded by certain leading figures within the party on one hand, and some self-serving rebel Nationalist MPs on the other.
All in all, it was a recipe for disaster and catastrophe is precisely what struck the PN on March 10, when it learnt it had lost the election by a whopping 37,000 votes.
No one can expect Dr Busuttil to wave a magic wand and solve these issues overnight. He has a proverbial mountain to climb in order to reshape the party. He is probably more aware than anyone that he cannot do this alone and that the only way he will be successful is if he manages to build a formidable team.
The foundations for this lie on an organisational level. He needs a general secretary who is able not just to rescue the PN from its financial plight, but who is also to galvanise the troops and get them to function effectively. Making the wrong choice for this post may well doom the party to another electoral defeat.
A strong team is also vital, starting with the deputy leader but also moving on through the front bench. The party cannot afford to make mistakes in this area.
At least it seems to have taken a first big stride in the manner it conducted the leadership issue, which was one of the most civilised and cleanest campaigns in modern history. Mario de Marco’s decision to concede immediately in a most gentlemanly manner was admirable and will stand the party in good stead for the future.
Though the Nationalist Party needs to change, that change is not about being liberal or conservative. It is about being relevant and in touch with people’s real needs. If it gets the formula right, it can be in a strong position come the next election.