Simon Busuttil’s successor at the helm of the Nationalist Party will be chosen by an elderly membership base, with early voters casting their ballots yesterday.

The leadership contest, in which newcomer Adrian Delia and former general secretary Chris Said will square off, will come to a head next Saturday, when the vast majority of the more than 20,000 members make their choice.

Figures provided to The Sunday Times of Malta by the PN show that the average age of party members is 60. No breakdown was provided for the sizes of the different age groups forming the party base.

Men make up 54.7 per cent of the PN’s party members, or tesserati. The women members are an average age of 62, while the men voting in this leadership race are on average 58.

Men make up 54.7 per cent of the PN’s party members. The women are aged 62 on average, the men 58

The PN did not have statistics showing the localities of the tessarati either. However, sources close to the party said that the majority hail from the 10th electoral district, comprising Sliema and St Julian’s, which has always been a Nationalist stronghold.

There is also a strong presence of tesserati from the eighth (Birkirkara) and ninth (San Ġwann, Swieqi, Għargħur) electoral districts, also considered to be PN strongholds.

The PN’s paid-up members will be voting for their party leader for the first time in history following amendments to the statute, which opened the preliminary round, held last week, to party councillors and the second and final election to the tesserati.

The leadership race is between two lawyers: a veteran politician who has climbed up the party’s internal ladder, Chris Said, and Adrian Delia, the newcomer who promises change.

While Dr Delia is being seen as the favourite to win Saturday’s contest, Dr Said is seen to be making inroads with the membership, especially those from Gozo, his electoral district, and those living in the north.

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