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6 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 10 SEPTEMBER 2025 ANALYSIS Five challenges Borg must Alex Borg's victory presents the temptation of a carte blanche to reshape the PN — but the slim margin generational change, maintaining party unity, dispelling the perception of being too close to developers further fracturing an ailing party 1. Victory gives Borg the allure of a carte blanche to reshape the PN in his image, but the narrow margin makes overreach a real risk. His first hurdle is balancing this temptation with the need to keep the party's pieces together. The PN has been in opposition since 2013, losing three consecutive gen- eral elections by a 35,000 to 40,000 vote margin. This has left the party demotivated, divided, and financially crippled. Big business, which traditionally funds party machines, and politi- cal careerists who provide techno- cratic and managerial appeal, have shunned the party with no realistic hope of winning. So have talented, civic-minded thinkers who are turned off by the party's toxic environment. As happened with Labour, things only changed when the party seemed poised for victory. At that point, peo- ple — even PN pundits — jumped on the new gravy train. Some did so out of genuine conviction, believing change was needed. Others were sim- ply rent-seekers. The rest is history. Under Joseph Muscat, Labour rein- vented itself as a big-tent party span- ning the ideological spectrum, held together by strong leadership and the promise of imminent change. The PN under Borg may attempt some- thing similar, granting its new leader a carte blanche to win at all costs in a survey-driven approach to politics. The conservative wind blowing across Europe could make Borg's task easier to mould the party in his image. He may even emulate Muscat's move- ment of moderates and progressives with one of moderates and conserva- tives. But this process is complicated. The PN's best hope is to narrow the gap in the next election and aim for victory in the one after. Yet few peo- ple vote to minimise losses; most vote for a government in waiting. This ex- plains Borg's insistence that he can really win the next election. He needs to sell an illusion — one that voters (and donors) may find hard to buy if surveys continue showing a substan- tial Labour lead. The result of the leadership election further complicates matters: Borg cannot ignore Delia and his loyalists, who may demand a share of influence. Nor can he ignore those who backed Delia as a stopgap to block the can- didate they least wanted. These may well prove to be the most elusive cat- egory. Meanwhile, some voters will close- ly monitor Borg's stance on collusion with powerful financial interests, par- ticularly on land use — all in a con- text where, despite growing liveability problems, Labour's economic model is still delivering enough revenue to sustain social expenditure and subsi- dies. 2. The chemistry with Delia will inevitably shape Borg's term at least until the next election. Navigating the former leader's popularity while asserting his own authority and projecting unity within the party is his most immediate challenge. Delia may bow out gracefully, con- soled by losing by only 44 votes — a near vindication for someone de- throned yet almost returned as leader. By stepping aside and allowing Borg to grow without overshadowing him, Delia could come across as a gentle- man. Alternatively, Delia may seek a leadership role in the style of Guido de Marco. This presents Borg with a dilemma. By offering Delia the dep- uty leader's post and blocking others from contesting it, Borg would appear magnanimous in victory, tap into the energy of both campaigns, and pro- ject a message of unity that reflects the split result. Borg may even opt to keep the status quo, keeping Alex Perici Calascione in office while offer- ing Delia a prominent portfolio in the shadow cabinet. Much depends on the level of trust and chemistry between the two. Borg may also need another formula to broaden the party's appeal. Having two male lawyers at the helm may not seem representative, although Borg's pledge to appoint two additional dep- uties could help. What is certain is that the result gives Delia enormous leverage. A sin- gle word from him casting doubt on the outcome could sink Borg's chanc- es of a decent showing in the next election. The Delia campaign's letter ques- tioning the eligibility of some voters Left to right: Adrian Delia and Alex Borg