Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1275149
2 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 2 AUGUST 2020 NEWS 1 AUGUST Executive Committee decides party members will elect a new leader 4 AUGUST Electoral Commission has untill today to publish a notice to ask for a declaration of interest from party members wishing to contest the leadership election 6 AUGUST The Chairperson of the Electoral Commission has until today to forward the names of party members who declare an interest in contesting the election to the Candidates Commission Once the verification Commission has 3 days to and the Electoral Commission a justified declaration as satisfy the verification 7 AUGUST TO 18 SEPTEMBER The Candidates Commission has up to 6 weeks to carry out due diligence verfication exercises for all party members who declare an interest in contesting the election CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Still, the fact that a substan- tial number of councillors were not entirely comfortable with a leadership race just two years before the next general elec- tion, shows that Adrian Delia could still have staying power in the General Council. Delia yesterday at 9pm con- firmed he will stand in the elec- tion. "I have faith in our mem- bers... it will be a choice by the many, not the few, who will determine the party's destiny." Delia said he would respect the forthcoming democratic vote, and pledged his support for the new party leader. "If you do vote for me as leader, I promise you changes which you have long called for – it will be a 'new way with new people', a PN led by the many, not the few," he said. Delia said he could not deny paid-up members a chance to vote for him in an election, and ruled out resigning. He also said he refused to be cowed into not contesting the election, when MPs like Chris Said and Jason Azzopardi had actively worked to have him deposed from leader. "This result is clearly a vote of con- fidence in our members, in de- mocracy... I could have chosen not to go with this motion, but I respect democracy, and I re- spect this vote." Delia did not delve into any problems of "due diligence" he might encounter when the party will have to vet leader- ship candidates. "I am the most scrutinised of party leaders... those who have accusations to make should be ready to sub- stantiate them." Nationalist MP Chris Said, who led the rebel backbenchers in their revolt, said Delia could not ignore the fact that two- thirds of the General Council had voted for a new leadership election. "This is a clear message, a third vote of its kind... this is a substantial majority in the Gen- eral Council, the party's high- est organ," Said said, flanked by Nationalist MP Karol Aquilina. Said insisted this was a vote of no-confidence in Delia when told by MaltaToday that Delia could still be satisfied with the outcome of the vote. Said said the forthcoming members' vote would be re- spected, even should Delia be elected once again in the gen- eral convention. "There are valid candidates out there, who are ready to serve as PN leader. This coun- try needs a strong and credible Opposition." Said said he would be "loyal to the party and the country" when asked whether he could work with Delia should he be re-elected. 1,509 councillors yesterday cast their vote in what was the third outing in as many months by a PN organ to take a deci- sion on the fate of Adrian Delia as leader. 1,630 councillors were asked to choose between giving the PN's paid-up members the chance to simply confirm or not Delia as leader in a one- horse race, or opt for a leader- ship race. With a turnout of 1,509 out of the eligible 1,630, 92.6% had cast their ballot when the vot- ing closed. Delia has already said that in the eventuality of a leadership contest he would contest. Several candidates have shown an interest to contest the leadership, including Ber- nard Grech, Therese Comodini Cachia, Mark Anthony Sam- mut, Roberta Metsola and Alex Perici Calascione. Early voting took place on Wednesday when 484 coun- cillors cast their ballot, and on Friday in the opening session of the general council when another 376 councillors voted. Voting continued on Saturday at PN headquarters in Pietà be- tween 8am and 6pm, and at the sub headquarters in Sannat be- tween 9am and 4pm. Adrian Delia's last year has been an annus horribillis, after poor electoral results, waning popularity in MaltaToday polls, and a backbench that never made peace with the choice of Delia as leader in 2017, led to an internal revolt against him. The leader had won a confi- dence vote among councillors last year after the PN's disas- trous showing in the Europe- an and local elections in 2019. Delia had secured the support "I have faith in our members... it will be a choice by the many, not the few, who will determine the party's destiny" - Adrian Delia