Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/408403
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 2 NOVEMBER 2014 Opinion 20 I had often wondered what on earth happened to Simon Busuttil, the charming, vibrant and bold EU campaigner turned successful MEP. Admittedly, he did make some inroads in his first year as PN leader, and implemented some very important changes to the party's structures. However, I've lost count of the number of people, mostly Nationalist Party supporters, who insist that the new PN leader needs to be more passionate in his approach, and bolder and more forceful with his political counterpart. I had almost given up hope, honestly. Overnight, we witnessed a dramatic change. Perhaps the real Simon Busuttil, finally, stood up. At the PN General Convention, last Sunday, he delivered his best speech ever: bold, forceful and passionate. Why he waited one painful year for this to happen is beyond me; but, finally, he did; at long last. In many ways, on Sunday, Busuttil re- introduced himself to the country. His girlfriend, Kristina Chetcuti and his boys were there, too. Busuttil had already introduced Ms Chetcuti during the ALS ice-bucket challenge way back in August, but at the PN General Convention she was there. Front row. Following her boyfriend's speech. Charming, and confident At the San Gorg Corinthia, Busuttil oozed charm and confidence. Finally, he proved that he is able to give a human dimension to politics. Most importantly, Busuttil showed that he is willing to shift his party outside its comfort zone and able to give moral direction. The content of his speech was good and refreshing. True, it was not so strong on vision – although he spoke at length about his vision, for Malta and the PN, at the Indipendenza mass meeting on the Floriana granaries last September. Unfortunately, that was, yet again, another good speech but badly delivered because it was devoid of passion and emotion. Unsurprisingly, it was easily forgotten. Not so his General Convention speech – it made noise for the right reasons. Needed: Authoritative leadership I have often suspected that Busuttil wants to change the Nationalist Party into a more liberal, people's party – open to new ideas and diversity; but that he is, constantly, hampered by the conservative elements within the party. The abstention on the civil unions bill is a case in point: by far Busuttil's greatest political gaffe. It is no secret that Busuttil was all for a vote in favour of the bill, but he was, vociferously, opposed by the more conservative elements within his parliamentary group. He tried to find the middle ground – which was equally wrong, if not worse than a vote against. However, the new PN leader seems to have learnt the lesson: never again appease those who want to maintain the status quo, unless he wants to be remembered for having paved the way for a new PN leader but never stood a single chance of making it to Castille. Busuttil needs to demonstrate authoritative leadership, fast. Break with the past The PN General Convention was an obvious attempt by the PN leader to throw open the doors of a stuffy Nationalist Party to new ideas and diversity. If what Busuttil had in mind was a clean break with the party's past, his speech at the PN Convention, and the entire Convention for that matter, was a step in the right direction. Transgender Alex Mangion, sociologist Michael Briguglio and MaltaToday journalist James Debono made some very valid contributions to the Saturday morning session. There was even a suggestion, from one of the workshops, that the party should discuss abortion and euthanasia – which, as expected, rubbed Paul Vincenti of Gift of Life the wrong way, and the PN had to issue a press statement stating the obvious: that it is, and shall remain, vociferously against abortion. Vincenti missed the point. Discussing euthanasia and abortion does not mean a change in the party's position but an opportunity for the party to be prepared on social issues should they ever arise. Vincenti would have none of that, and the PN issued an unnecessary press statement to put his mind at rest. Walk the walk It is screamingly obvious that Simon Busuttil regretted the PN's vote on civil unions. However, he seems determined to prove that the PN has learnt from its past mistakes, and is now willing to become, once again, the catalyst for further changes within our secular society. Having a transgender addressing the PN Convention was a good start, but that alone will not win him back the gay vote which following the civil unions abstention gaffe continued to desert the PN in droves. He needs to walk the walk, and never again succumb to pressure from conservative elements within the party on civil rights matters. Moral direction Equally important was his Frank Psaila Re-introducing Simon Busuttil The convention marked what could be a turning point for the PN. If this fails, Busuttil would have only himself to blame PHOTOGRAPHY BY RAY ATTARD