The Nationalist Party’s administration should “carry political responsibility” for the two electoral defeats suffered earlier this month, the PN Żurrieq sectional committee said on Friday. 

The Opposition lost the European Parliament elections by over 42,600 votes and local council elections by a historic margin of 47,116 votes.

The two defeats led to political turmoil within the PN, with calls for the resignation of embattled Nationalist party leader Adrian Delia.

Dr Delia has said he will continue to lead the party to the next general election, arguing that the defeats were smaller than those initially predicted by pollsters. 

A co-option to replace former MP David Stellini’s seat continued to expose internal rifts. A vote taken last week saw the resignation of PN executive committee president Mark Anthony Sammut and allegations that ineligible members were allowed to vote.

The vote had been narrowly won by Jean Pierre Debono, who declined to take up the seat following the allegations. 

The PN Żurrieq sectional committee asked the executive and administrative branches of the party to keep the committees informed of all decisions it has taken or will be taking.

The committee also joined calls for the vacant parliamentary seat to be taken up by lawyer Kevin Cutajar.

Multiple members of the party have called for Dr Cutajar to fill the seat, arguing that the Gozitan lawyer should take the seat of Mr Stellini, who is also Gozitan.

Read: Co-option nominee ‘must hail’ from Gozo - former human rights judge

Two PN members have publicly declared that the party’s general secretary asked them to contest the co-option vote. Both turned down the request, expressing their support for Dr Cutajar instead.

The party's public spats show no signs of slowing down, when a banner reading "We want a future: resign" was put up outside the party's headquarters Thursday evening. 

The party's executive committee will be meeting on Saturday to discuss who will take Mr Stellini's seat.