So, Marlene Farrugia wants Simon Busuttil to stay on as leader of the PN. But of course, she knows that if Dr Busuttil does not quit, she can continue to be given as much exposure as she may wish. She will be able to continue “teaching him what he (Simon) doesn’t yet know” as she once said.

Dr Farrugia also knows that if someone like Claudio Grech becomes the next leader, she may quickly end up isolated on the Opposition benches.

When Joseph Muscat became Labour leader, he had said he wanted to create an “earthquake”. Who at that time would have believed that the “earthquake” mentioned by Dr Muscat would end up in one landslide victory after the other against the PN!

Since Dr Muscat took over the Labour leadership, the party won eight different types of elections in a row: the European Parliament election in 2009 (54.7 per cent); the local councils election in 2009 (54.5 per cent); the local councils election in 2012 (55.6 per cent); the local councils election in 2013 (54.8 per cent); the general election in 2013 (54.8 per cent); the European Parliament election in 2014 (53.4 per cent); the local councils election in 2015 (53.4 per cent); and the recent general election in 2017 (55 per cent).

It is in the interest of our country that the Nationalist Party elects someone who can bring back sanity and credibility to the PN. Malta needs a strong, constructive Opposition which puts the interest of Malta before political hatred which, unfortunately, we have all seen being dispensed throughout the last three years or so.

Will the PN finally learn something from all this?

Definitely Dr Farrugia and all those Nationalist MPs who are urging Dr Busuttil to soldier on, have not learnt a thing.