Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1536968
THESE past two weeks have undoubtedly been among the most intense of my life— intense because my commit- ment to our party and our beloved Malta runs deep. This week, with a great sense of duty, responsibil- ity, and humility, I filed my intention to contest the leadership of the Nationalist Party. My political journey began in earnest back in 2019, in- spired by a sincere desire to serve and contribute pos- itively to our nation. In the 2022 general election, thanks to your overwhelming sup- port, I proudly secured over 6,100 votes from the people of Gozo—the 13th elector- al district. This is a respon- sibility I continue to hold close to my heart. As we find ourselves in 2025, it's clear the National- ist Party needs renewal and revitalisation. Our party has faced significant challenges over the past decade or so. It has been in Opposition for 12 consecutive years, endur- ing setbacks and electoral defeats. Now, more than ever, we need fresh leadership driv- en by the new generation's energy and a winning men- tality to guide us back to rel- evance and success. Do we have such resources? Yes, we definitely do—everyone with their respective compe- tences, together with a lead- er who is able to merge and facilitate all these talents and bring about success. I strongly believe our par- ty leader must embody this generational shift and pos- sess the determination and optimism necessary to rally our base and inspire confi- dence among the broader electorate. We must become the voice of the future and of aspiration; clearly articu- lating a vision that resonates deeply with the Maltese and Gozitan public. No matter the outcome of this leadership contest, I will remain grounded in my val- ues—committed, approach- able, and rooted in service. I am doing this not for per- sonal ambition, but for the greater good of the party be- cause I genuinely believe in its potential to rise again. Currently, many individ- uals feel disconnected from politics altogether, seeing no reflection of their dreams and aspirations within any political party. As a lead- er of the Nationalist Party, I commit myself—and call upon every member of our party, from parliamentarians and councillors to activists and supporters—to tirelessly pursue and represent every aspiration, ensuring that everyone's voice is heard and valued. My journey into politics was driven by the desire to serve, never to be served. This principle will remain at the core of everything I do. With your trust and support, together we can rebuild a party that embraces unity, purpose, and collective am- bition. This is our moment to re- shape the future. The Na- tionalist Party must become the party for tomorrow's Malta—the party that lis- tens, acts, and delivers re- sults for all citizens. Thank you for your contin- ued trust and support as we take this crucial step forward together. We must become the voice of the future and of aspiration 11 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 29 JUNE 2025 OPINION PN leadership: Why I am contesting Adrian Delia Adrian Delia is an MP and former leader of the PN WITH humility I ask the members of the PN to give me the privilege of leading our party once again and to serve our country with the support of my colleagues in the parliamentary group. This is the last thing I thought I would be doing this year! Bernard Grech's departure was sudden and un- expected but I fully understand his state of mind. Having been through it once before, I know the terrain. I now have the added experience, and the maturity that comes with it, to do better than last time. I feel I have evolved with the passage of time. Indeed, I was gratified by the fact that sever- al of my former critics and adversaries seem to acknowledge this. I have received support from unexpected quarters and I'm immensely grateful. Some have even offered me an apology. But when I became leader in 2017, I also made many mis- takes. I had very little experience. I was not a politician. I know that on occasion I have caused hurt. I will be the one apologising not vice versa. The PN is at a very particular juncture. We have always been on the right side of history. Now, we need to understand that our future will not neces- sarily be shaped by big events, like Independence and EU membership. We have grown over the years. I remember a population of 250,000 people, Birżebbuġa as a quiet villeġġatura, hosting a few tourists, mostly English. Now, the country has become a city. In some ways it is vibrant and exciting but the best cities have good transport solutions and a good balance between green spaces and the urban sprawl. We don't. The liveability of a city has become its happy in- dex not the number of cranes it has. Happiness cannot be easily measured but I meet people all the time and many are struggling; finding it hard to cope. Cities are great if you can afford to live in them and use their facilities. But if you cannot afford a city, your life will not be happy. In other coun- tries, people in this situation move out of the city. In Malta that's not possible. Prime Minister Robert Abela does not acknowl- edge this situation. For Labour it is an embar- rassment now to acknowledge people's suffering. They have completely lifted the anchor on their roots. I would like to engender, first and foremost, a discussion in the party that leads to our redefini- tion as a political force. One that makes human fulfilment an achievable goal that is not simply expressed in economic terms because that alone has not succeeded. I spend a lot of time with young people, and have five of my own that are in their teens to their twenties. My sixth is still very young but he chal- lenges me all the time. They have a better sense of the impact that artificial intelligence will have on our lives. The PN must approach this challenge and for- mulate policies around it because it will affect our sense of trust and privacy, many of our jobs and our ability to conduct financial transactions. I am not saying AI is a bad thing but we need to follow developments and understand them be- cause we are heading into uncharted territory. Another reason why I have submitted my ex- pression of interest is because the party cannot continue to be in the financial position it has been in for the last decade. We need to publish our accounts and, with them, a plan for financial sustainability. We need to use our resources better as Simon Busuttil and later Robert Arrigo had started doing with the każini. But none of this can take place in the abstract. We need a new social contract that acknowledges the dangers of connecting party financing with big business. Let's take the leap and say goodbye to backroom deals that harsh financial realities can impose on a political party. We must empower the FIAU to audit us all once we have agreed on a public financing deal for politics. In this way, perhaps, no player will be crushed under the financial clout of the party in government or, as in the case of 2013, the party heading towards government. On enforcement we must acknowledge that without a police force that is not politically mo- tivated we will never have a society that is hap- py. Feeling like a second-rate citizen makes you feel angry and frustrated. Why should I feel it is useless to report a restaurant because of its loud music after 11pm because it is owned by a friend of the Labour Party? And yet, that is how many people feel today. The rule of law is there to measure the success of our society in everything: From clean government and clean politics to behaving as good neighbours in every village, town and community, regardless of wealth, ethnicity or political beliefs. I will give every hour of my days and evenings to ensure we achieve these goals. Alex Borg Alex Borg is an MP elected in Gozo I would like to engender, first and foremost, a discussion in the party that leads to our redefinition as a political force