Yesterday's vote in Parliament did not see the government lose the Parliamentary vote but the opposition's no confidence motion was only defeated with the Speaker's casting vote, since Nationalist MP Franco Debono abstained.
While the Prime Ministers aid after the vote that the oppositon's motion lacked Parliament's support, both the Opposition and Alternattiva Demokratika said the government had lost its majority and an election should be called.
Dr Debono had at the beginning of the month said he would support the opposition but he later softened his position and said he may abstain.
He kept the country guessing to the time of the actual vote and then abstained but not before giving the government a lashing in a hard hitting speech which he said he was making with a heavy heart because of his love for the party.
Both in his speech and on previous occasions, Dr Debono calling for reforms and resignations in instances where people failed to deliver.
Following yesterday's vote, the Prime Minister said he would be taking measures within the PN to ensure there was backing for government policy.
Late yesterday, the PN announced that its general council will be meeting on Sunday.
Contacted and asked whether he would attend, Dr Debono refused to comment.
However, party sources said the situation was a tough one because the MP was not easily swayed and in spite of his calls for resignations, there had been none so far.
Dr Debono said in his speech that people whose decisions badly affected society should resign. He said, in Parliament and on other occasions, that he was the victim of a bad political system.
On a television programme some days ago, Dr Debono had said that he had resigned from the PN some months ago but his resignation was not accepted.
Dr Debono had said that he had resigned from the PN as a measure of last resort because his constant calls for things to change were not being heeded.
Matters seemed to come to a head when Dr Debono said the Prime Minister had promised him to divide the Home Affairs and Justice responsibilities by the end of the year.
The Prime Minister denied he had given that time frame but the ministry was eventually divided in a reshuffle in the first week of January, with Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici retaining home affairs and justice going to Chris Said.
Dr Mifsud Bonnici was, however, also given responsibility for local government and was made leader of the House.
This move seemed to have infuriated Dr Debono who said that people who were not delivering were being given additional responsibilities and were being promoted.
Several attempts were made between then and yesterday's vote to try to rebuild bridges and several MPs, including the Prime Minister, personally or publicly urged Dr Debono to return to the fold.
A brief 15 minute meeting between Dr Debono, the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Tonio Borg last Sunday was inconclusive but in yesterday's vote Dr Debono abstained.
He said before casting his vote that he was doing abstaining with a clear conscience, taking into consider the support he had received from thousands of people.