Azzjoni Nazzjonali (AN) leader Josie Muscat yesterday said he decided to retain his post within the party because he strongly believed it had a role to play in ending Malta's political dichotomy.

Speaking at the AN's Sliema headquarters yesterday, Dr Muscat explained what led him to step down after the election, and then come back again.

While stressing that he never officially resigned, Dr Muscat - who last week was unanimously elected AN leader - said that after the election he felt it was right to step down and make way for another leader selected by the party. But then he was asked to reconsider.

Dr Muscat, a former Nationalist MP, went on to browse through the suggestions made in AN's electoral manifest that included: having a president elected by the people, a smaller parliament and less ministers, regional rather than local councils, and amending laws regulating referenda.

He gave the example of Ireland that this week consulted the people (during a referendum) on the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty. Malta, he said, decided on this issue that would have an impact on its sovereignty, in one parliamentary sitting without consulting the people.

During the election campaign, he said, AN had also addressed the issue of illegal immigration and the dangers it posed to a small country like Malta. Recent interviews with the Commissioner for Refugees Mario Friggieri and with Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi, who spoke about the issue, reinforced AN's concerns, he said.

Dr Muscat said he was confident that AN's message would get through to people. The party would have to face challenges brought about by the Broadcasting Authority, who had not given it adequate air time during the election campaign, and try to reach out to people through modern means of communication.