Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1050749
13 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 11 NOVEMBER 2018 a chunk of PN voters who were given a sense of purpose by the former leader's crusades. The latest revelations on 17 Black provide Delia a golden opportunity to affirm his lead- ership. For the PN leader can now challenge Muscat directly on a major scandal with con- firmed facts rather than spec- ulation. While this case may strengthen the faction around Busuttil which may feel vin- dicated, Delia may well prove himself by standing his ground and calling on the government to shoulder political responsi- bility simply because the facts at hands are damning enough to warrant resignations. Delia's first reaction to the 17 Black revelations in a press confer- ence on Friday, was a step in the right direction; a strong and prudent reaction based on facts at hand without any unnecessary accusations and speculation. But the most crucial category the PN must win, is a sizeable segment of MOR voters who do not see the PN as a viable al- ternative in government: they conjure the image of the PN's parliamentary group as a cabi- net of ministers, and they are instantly unconvinced they could do a better job than La- bour. Crying wolf over scandal may not be enough for the PN to get there. Now more than ever, with the government reeling from the latest scandal, the PN needs to strengthen its front bench. Rushing to elect a new leader One crucial mistake after the 2017 election was the PN's rush for a leadership contest without first determining what the values and aspirations of both its restricted pool of vot- ers and those who left it, are. Instead of resolving these is- sues under an interim leader that could have presented its future leader with a to-do list, the PN rushed to elect a new leader in the hope that being legitimised by a democratic election among party mem- bers, charisma and strength would simply carry the day. And indeed, that contest – af- ter failing to attract established candidates with an aspiration to become Prime Minister – touted names like MEP Rob- erta Metsola or MP Claudio Grech who failed to throw their hat into the ring. Outsider Adrian Delia pre- sented himself as an insurgent ready to leader a party nobody – except the MP Chris Said – wanted, fashioning his leader- ship bid as a recovery mission far more difficult than Eddie Fenech Adami's in 1978. The sheer weight of the historical task before him would have broken the most experienced politician, let alone a newbie like Delia. And now that problem is compounded by the poor qual- ity of the party's parliamentary front bench, the failure of 2017 voters to inject new blood on the PN's benches, the lacklus- tre deputy leaders elected by the same cohort of Delia's sup- porters, and the party's failure to generate new policies in the past months. Going into 2019, the party may have succeeded in attract- ing valid candidates for next May's European elections, but it still lacks the sense of team- work which has characterised Labour's winning streak since 2008. Now perceived as a party of losers, the PN fails in attract- ing those who are interested in riding the winners' cart. And a clash has emerged be- tween idealists and 'down to earth' pragmatists that under- stand the need to compromise with big business's influence on Maltese politics. Here Si- mon Busuttil's sanctimony backfired: for even he cohab- ited with the ugly reality of un- derhand party financing when it was revealed that PN salaries were being funded by the same DB group he accused of collu- sion with government. Still, success in politics is also based on standing up for some- thing and being able to com- promise without tainting the overall political mission. The PN can't afford to be perceived as more of the same on issues like environmental protection and good governance, where the current government is fail- ing in an otherwise positive economic context. This why Delia can't afford to take away the heat from the government on these issues. But the PN today has yet to define the boundaries on which the next big-tent party will be built. Is it going to fish for votes from the political centre-ground, perhaps even reaching out to social progres- sives on the left? Or will it just go on a wild chase for populist votes from the right? So the question for the PN's movers and shakers looms large: Delia may not have done much to resolve his party's problems, but removing him in a quick-fix solution could backfire without a clear will to shake-up the PN's internal structure and thinking process. Unless Delia calls it a day of his own accord, it is extremely unlikely that his leadership will be challenged before the 2019 MEP elections. How Delia tackles the latest scandal related to 17 Black is a major test for his leadership abilities. If he manages to unite the party by standing strong without overplaying his hand, he may well kick-start a long process of recovery. But if he wastes this opportu- nity he may well end up being overtaken by internal critics in his own party. Even then, the absence of a stock-taking exercise and without a team of candidates espousing a clear vision, the party will fail to reverse the downturn. Delia may either stay on to fill the void or he can do something more substantial and start a long process of re- newal. jdebono@mediatoday.com.m NEWS ANALYSIS Unless Delia calls it a day of his own accord, it is extremely unlikely that his leadership will be challenged before the 2019 MEP elections. How Delia tackles the latest scandal related to 17 Black is a major test for his leadership abilities