(Adds PL's reaction)
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A proposal for the leader and deputy leaders of the Nationalist Party to be elected by members of the party during a general convention is one of a series of amendments being proposed for the party’s statute by a commission that had been set up for the purpose.
The proposed amendments were presented today during a seminar which launched the second phase of discussions on the revision of the statute.
Commission chairman Francis Zammit Dimech presented a draft of the amendments, which were drawn up following a wide consultation exercise.
In a statement, the party said the aim of this process was to radically change the party’s structures to become more inclusive and open to all.
Party leader Simon Busuttil said the party wanted to send a clear message that it wanted to again become a party of the people.
The proposed amendments also propose the participation of members, the public, civil society and the social partners in the drawing up of policies.
They seek to increase the people’s participation in all the party’s fora and propose that the executive should include nine men and nine women, to be elected from different lists.
Other proposals are for an increase in the participation of women and young people in sectional committees for renewal and a wider participation of women and young people in the general council, which is the party’s highest organ.
The commission proposed the setting up of a number of branches and new structures within the party for more inclusive representation, including the creation of an equal opportunities movement, a forum for professionals, a forum for businesses that would replace the secretariat for small and medium enterprises, a college of candidates, a college of former MPs, a regional committee for Gozo, a commission for the selection of candidates and the creation of a policy fora concept that would include the participation of civil society.
The proposals will now be discussed in another wide consultation process that would lead to a general council in the beginning of next year. This council would vote to approve the party’s new statute.
USELESS TO CHANGE STRUCTURES BUT NOT MENTALITY - PL
The Labour Party said in a statement that when it changed its statute for members to elect its leader in 2009, it went even further because even the principles of its electoral manifesto were drawn up and approved by members.
It said that all the changes proposed were similar to those it implemented in past years and the next step now was for the party to appoint a CEO.
However, it was useless to change structures if the mentality of the administration did not change. The extreme factions still dictated over Dr Busuttil who had neither vision not control over the party.
There were several instances in the past weeks where the PN moved backwards instead of forward.