You would expect a party in Opposition to have some grip over the mood of the country. Adrian Delia lacks the fibre to lead anything other than a flock of lambs into the proverbial slaughterhouse.

His observations are made of candyfloss and his defensiveness is made of less sterner stuff. At odds with everyone within his own party, it seems, he lacks any ability to unite even those lambs he shepherds to decimation.

Simon Busuttil should be the man of the moment for he has demonstrated an intellectual ability to sift the wheat from the chaff. He is credible. He states things simply and as they are. He is a man of measured but persuasive temper who acquits himself well whenever he expresses himself in the media.

I have always wondered why he chose to step down from leading the Nationalist Party to victory. Maybe he felt it had fractured so greatly it could never offer a meaningful challenge to the present government. After all, this liberal, socialist government has put Malta in a first world position. It has a strong economy and social justice for all. This despite the dreadful allegations of corruption that have still to be addressed.

Fertile ground, some might think, to challenge the status quo. But, no Delia talks of boring things like parliamentary groups to discuss the activities of public officials targeted by Daphne Caruana Galizia. He should be doing the investigating. He should stand up for what is right. Not pass the buck.

I hope and expect the PN will rid itself of watery owls and instead persuade Busuttil to take the lead once more. Without a powerful and dynamic Opposition, Malta risks destroying democracy itself.

Incisive and persistent criticism is the champion of democrats, regardless of which side of the Speaker they sit in Parliament but, more impressively, perhaps on the hustings.

Please, Busuttil, grab the moment.