When Francis Zammit Dimech speaks at the Nationalist Party council tonight, he will unveil the most significant changes to the party’s statute in 40 years.

The veteran MP will tell councillors the time is right to have the party leader and deputy leaders chosen by members rather than just the 900-odd councillors. This will be done in a purposely-held convention.

This is the more significant proposal made by the commission headed by Dr Zammit Dimech that was tasked with renewing the party statute when Simon Busuttil was elected leader last year.

Members enrolled with the party in the two years preceding the convention will get the chance to discuss policy, approve the electoral manifesto and elect the leaders.

Although the statute will not stipulate the number of times the convention should meet, Dr Zammit Dimech believes it should be a yearly appointment.

The proposal follows similar changes made by the Labour Party soon after Joseph Muscat’s election as leader in 2008.

But Dr Zammit Dimech is unfazed by the apparent copycat move. Sitting on the sofa at his Valletta legal office overlooking Republic Street, he says the party had to open its doors.

He says that during the consultative meetings the commission had with the party grass roots, members were consistently calling for greater direct participation.

“We looked at various models adopted by our sister parties in the EU and we also looked at the Labour Party statute. We feel that a convention-style gathering to elect the leaders and formulate policy will empower ordinary members and give them a bigger say in decision-making.”

It is one way of responding to the criticism in last year’s election defeat report that the party had closed in on itself and lost touch with the electorate.

On a more radical note, Dr Zammit Dimech will tonight also explain how, in its efforts to ensure gender equality, the party will divide candidates contesting for posts on the executive committee into two lists: one for women and another for men.

With a twinkle in his eye, he says the proposal is not found in the PL’s statute and will ensure that an equal number of women and men get elected. He argues it will put into practice the values the PN has long stood for.

All councillors will get to vote for people on both lists to ensure that nine women and nine men are elected. The voting procedure is expected to be also used at a locality level when members choose the sectional committees.

“I was positively surprised with the good feedback we received for this proposal, which was a suggestion by the National Council of Women. Men who had to make way for women because of the quota system we have today welcomed it and so did women, who felt quotas lacked dignity.”

However, he says this will not simply be a procedural move to ensure equal numbers of men and women in the committees. It will also help the party open up to different perspectives and, in turn, enrich its decision-making process, he adds.

And to consolidate the effort to open up the party, Dr Zammit Dimech will be asking councillors to create space for local councillors elected on a PN ticket.

The commission is proposing that local councillors should automatically form part of the national council that will grow to about 1,500 members from the present 900.

The number will be huge but Dr Zammit Dimech is undeterred by the argument that the national council may turn out to be a cumbersome affair.

“This is what the party needs: more openness and greater participation,” he says.

Dr Zammit Dimech speaks of other changes that will come into force, such as the setting up of a forum to address equal opportunities and another to attract professionals.

He insists the equal opportunities forum will provide a focal point for any individual who feels vulnerable, whether the issue is “race, sexual orientation or gender”.

Dr Zammit Dimech shakes his head from side to side when asked whether this is the PN’s reaction after being snubbed by the gay lobby over its handling of civil partnerships. The previous administration had proposed a law that fell far short of the gay community’s expectations.

“This addresses all forms of vulnerability. Unlike the Labour Party, we do not pigeonhole people into their little corner. Gay individuals have militated within the party and occupied different roles without their sexual orientation ever being a problem.”

He says the statute changes will help the party prepare for the challenges ahead, not least the upcoming European Parliament election in May, for which he is also a candidate.

This is what the party needs: more openness and greater participation

Although the party’s target is to obtain three seats from the six up for grabs – one more than it has today – it has said nothing about the amount of votes it expects to achieve.

“This election will be no mean feat for the PN after last year’s defeat... but, going by the reforms the PN has undertaken, fully realising the mistakes it committed in the past and trying to address them and coupled with a party in government that is doing the complete opposite of what it had promised, I feel the gap should be narrowed.”

It is guarded hope from an MP with years of experience, who knows all too well that a day in politics can be a day too long.

He acknowledges the PL remains well organised when it comes to marketing and will use the water and electricity bills reduction in March to its full advantage.

“But I hope people will look at all the issues and evaluate the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.”

ksansone@timesofmalta.com