Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1545608
9 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 28 JUNE 2026 NEWS 'We performed miracles': PN candidates defend campaign after internal report Nationalist Party exponents with mixed reactions over report urging more inclusive, modern party and more grassroots engagement NATIONALIST Party MPs and candidates have pushed back against criticism of their election campaigns after a post-election review found not all candidates connected "effectively" with vot- ers. The report was drawn up follow- ing a series of regional assemblies organised by the PN in which ac- tivists analysed the election result. An overview of the feedback was given by the party's President for Political Research Mary Anne Lauri during the opening of the general council held last week. Among other observations, the report called for stronger grassroots presence by election candidates and urged the PN to improve engagement with natu- ralised voters, while projecting a more "modern, inclusive image." However, the feedback has re- ceived mixed reactions from MPs and candidates who spoke to Mal- taToday. While acknowledging there was room for improvement, those who spoke to this newspaper ar- gued many candidates had been constrained by an election called a year earlier than expected. They insisted the report did not fully reflect the extent of campaigning that took place. One candidate who was elect- ed but chose to remain unnamed described the assessment as "a bit unfair", arguing that many people failed to appreciate the work being carried out on the ground. "The election came a year early, so it was impossible for every- one to cover all the localities they wanted," they said. "Losing the election is not a responsibility that candidates alone must shoulder." The former candidate also ques- tioned the methodology behind the exercise, saying the party should have sought feedback from non-voters and those who backed other parties instead of limiting the exercise to paid-up members. Based on feedback from around 1,000 party members, the report concluded that many respond- ents believed the party needed to rebuild direct contact with voters and strengthen its presence in lo- cal communities, arguing the PN should rebuild its roots "not just online, not just through the me- dia, but in the streets and in peo- ple's homes". Oliver Cini, a first-time candi- date who unsuccessfully contest- ed the election, defended the ef- forts of candidates. "I think with the time made available to us, we performed mir- acles," Cini said. "Personally, I car- ried out around 400 house visits. I wanted to go to all the districts, but I cannot do the impossible." Cini argued new candidates faced an uphill battle in building name recognition, adding that ap- pearances on the party's television station largely reached voters who were already inclined to back the PN. "The bottom line, especially for new candidates like me, is that we needed more time," he said, although he acknowledged there was always room for improve- ment. Alex Perici Calascione: 'Not a concern, but an eye-opener' PN deputy leader Alex Perici Calascione interpreted the re- port's conclusions differently, saying they reinforced the im- portance of face-to-face poli- tics. "The main message I take is that people still crave that hu- man touch," he said. "We were very present on social media, but people still want that con- tact." Perici Calascione said he viewed the findings as "an eye-opener rather than a con- cern", despite spending much of the campaign visiting locali- ties across Malta and Gozo. Nationalist MP Eve Borg Bonello said campaigning ex- tends well beyond the official election period. "It's not just about what you do during elec- tion month; it goes beyond that and the work you do in the years preceding it," she said. She also argued there was no single formula for campaign- ing, noting while some MPs re- lied more heavily on technical expertise, others built support primarily through community engagement. Overpopulation versus inclusivity: A 'double-edged sword' The report also identified demographic change and the growing number of natural- ised citizens as a challenge the party must address. Par- ticipants believed Labour had been more successful in reach- ing these communities and called for a clearer strategy to engage them. Opinion among PN figures, however, was different. An MP who spoke with this newspaper on condition of an- onymity, described the issue as "a double-edged sword", say- ing that while the party should do more to engage communi- ties it had overlooked, over- population remained one of the principal concerns raised by voters during the campaign. Oliver Cini said the party had examined Malta's changing demographics internally but had deliberately prioritised overpopulation as its main electoral message. Neverthe- less, he said the PN needed to better understand the realities facing different communities living in Malta. Perici Calascione agreed that different communities re- quired different approaches. "I do feel that we made in- roads, but we need to give it more attention," he said. The report also urged the PN to project itself as a more modern and inclusive party capable of attracting people from different cultures, reli- gions and backgrounds. Cini agreed the party could become more open to differ- ent cultures and identities, while Borg Bonello argued that inclusivity and defend- ing the party's values were not mutually exclusive. "I think protecting your val- ues isn't mutually exclusive from being inclusive," she said. Perici Calascione said the party was already making ef- forts to rebuild bridges with communities that had pre- viously felt alienated, citing outreach to the LGBTQ+ community as one example, while stressing that other overlooked groups, including people recovering from drug addiction and those facing mental health challenges, also deserved greater attention. KARL AZZOPARDI kazzopardi@mediatoday.com.mt President for Political Research Mary Anne Lauri presented an overview of the post-election feedback given by PN members during the opening of the general council PN leader Alex Borg at the general council that kicked off the post-election leadership contest