Updated - Adds video - Mario de Mario this evening outlined his aims should he be elected leader of the Nationalist Party, saying he wanted to move the party closer to the people, especially those who had strayed from it or never considered it as their choice.

Speaking at a press conference,  he stressed that this was all about renewal and change. The party, he said, needed to truly represent every sector of society.

It needed to be more inclusive and open not only to its members but all those who wished to contribute ideas.

The party had to be an instrument to push forward society. But rather than expecting society to change according to its political beliefs, it should be the party which should be prepared to change in line with an evolving modern, European society.

The party, he said, needed to review its structures and also assess why it had lost the general election by 36,000 votes.

Was society becoming more liberal, for example?

“We have to accept that society is changing,” he said, adding that it would be wrong if the party was perceived as being conservative.

Over the years, he said, the structures of the party had not changed much. The party needed to have more effective structures which maintained their tempo of activity between elections and served as a conduit of political thought.

The party needed to be responsive to ideas and enthusiasm from the grassroots, particularly through its section committees and clubs. Policies needed to be updated on a continuous, not sporadic basis, to reflect the needs of society.

The party also needed to be more effective in the selection and training of candidates at the local and national levels, and it needed to offer proper support to both candidates and MPs. 

He said the party needed to find the most effective and sustainable ways to reach out to the people, particularly those who did not support it and did not attend its activities.

He said the role of the party deputy leader needed to be examined and strengthened, and, indeed, one should consider whether two deputy leaders were needed, although he did not think so.

Dr de Marco said the cause of the party’s financial problems needed to be identified so that remedial action could be taken within set timeframes.