Dissent within the Opposition parliamentary group against Adrian Delia’s leadership is growing, the Times of Malta was told, with election candidate and councillor David Thake stepping down from the St Paul's Bay council in protest.
Sources said that a number of Nationalist MPs preferred not to accompany their leader during the civil society protest in Valletta last Sunday. This, they added, led Dr Delia not to attend despite having previously said he would be there, and calling an urgent meeting of the parliamentary group in a bid to deal with the situation.
However, the meeting, held yesterday afternoon, did little if anything at all to improve matters, with MPs now wondering whether the situation was sustainable, the sources said.
According to Nationalist MPs who spoke to this newspaper following the meeting, “the majority” of the parliamentary group is not comfortable working with Dr Delia, which also meant he did not enjoy their support.
“The PN has always stood for what is right and the prevailing situation demands that it should stand up and lead the fight for democracy once again. Unfortunately, due to Dr Delia’s baggage, the party is not in a position to act and cannot lead this battle from the front,” a veteran MP said.
Read: Thake resigns from council, saying Delia 'not fit for purpose'
Another MP, who asked to remain anonymous, noted that when the PN accused Labour in Parliament of turning the country into the Wild West, the reaction would invariably be a reminder of what Dr Delia used to call journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.
“We cannot continue like this. We are on the right side but need a leader who inspires hope and credibility. Unfortunately, we don’t have one at the moment.”
Another Nationalist MP said that an experienced politician realising his leadership was not welcome would step down.
“Unfortunately, the few around Dr Delia are telling him to remain. This phase will soon fade away, they tell him but, unfortunately, it won’t,” he said.
Thie Times of Malta was informed there was an “internal backlash” on Saturday when Nationalist MPs were told to accompany Dr Delia at the civil society protest.
Many, half the parliamentary group, the sources said, refused and informed Dr Delia’s office they wanted to attend the march but not stand next to the leader. Subsequently, Dr Delia’s office announced he would not attend “as this was not about him but about rule of law and democracy”.
“I will not stir controversy on a day of national unity and will continue to fight for democracy and freedom of speech as leader of the Opposition,” he said.
The sources also said that participants at the protest march complained with Nationalist MPs that the party could remain in a situation where its leader was unable to figure in such manifestations because of his baggage.
Ms Caruana Galizia was a harsh critic of Dr Delia during the leadership campaign. Dr Delia rejected all allegations and sued Ms Caruana Galizia for libel, which he withdrew following her murder.
In a reaction, a PN spokesman said the parliamentary group had felt that it would have been insensitive to turn the national protest into a political event.
“So, it was agreed that MPs should be present as normal citizens at the protest march,” he said.
The spokesman dismissed signs of dissent within the party.
“Dr Delia will be leading the Opposition during such challenging times for our country,” he said.