It is not so much about putting on a brave face.

When the Prime Minister faced the media, soon after he learnt that the party he has been leading for the last three years earned its fourth local election defeat in a row, it was anger and exasperation that made him utter these words.

He seemed to be challenging the journalists who, understandably, were making some provocative questions about the electoral fortunes of the Nationalist Party. But his was also a knee-jerk reaction underlined by sheer defiance.

He knew very well that, as a defeated Prime Minister, whatever he said could make the headlines. So it is fair to assume that he also wanted to address the nation which, in the Prime Minister’s own words, sent him a message. The nation has been sending the same message every year – and every year it arrives in bolder print. The Prime Minister would not be moved, it appears. For the very first time he is saying that “he” will win the next general election, defying, therefore, the very same voters who either did not cast their vote or shifted their preferences to Labour.

There has not yet been enough media focus on the choice of words he used to make his point. There was something very personal about it. Dr Gonzi did not say that the Nationalist Party will win. He preferred to emphasise that “I will win the next general election”.

It is now becoming very evident that the Prime Minister is looking at the next general election as something that is intricately connected with his own political standing. He seems to be more interested in his own future than in the fortunes of his party.

He is also very angry at the electorate, having expected, most probably, a signal that voters are indeed warming up to his faith that the country is on the right track, the economy is buoyant and that consumers are on a shopping frenzy thanks to the last budget.

In one of my previous contributions in this column (You can take the horse to the water but you cannot make it drink, TMID, 8 January) I wrote that at Christmastime the government, aided by the usual pro-government print media and some eminent economists, tried to create an artificial feel-good factor to lure shoppers to buy and thus confirm that indeed the economy is doing well.

I was criticised and labelled as a politician with a chip on my shoulder. Well, I have now just been vindicated by the largest and most reliable opinion poll. Voters have abstained or shifted their vote elsewhere because they are not in good spirits at all.

Dr Alfred Sant, on the other hand, was far more realistic. If there is a political leader who at this very moment can, understandably, boast about his chances of winning the next general election it is definitely the opposition leader. With five straight victories, including the European Parliament elections held nationwide, the writing is on the wall – no matter how hard government apologists try to drum into disgruntled voters’ heads that the Labour Party is not a better alternative government.

Dr Sant is simply stating that the “the country wants a change in political leadership”, a rather meek assertion considering the resoundingly positive results obtained by the Labour Party.

This time round Dr Sant has outsmarted his counterpart not only at the polls but also as a national leader. No matter how well the Labour Party has been doing at the polls during the last couple of years, Dr Sant has not done a Dr Gonzi and has coolly refrained from stating unequivocally that “he” or the Labour Party will win the next general election.

The problem with Dr Gonzi’s arrogant statement is that now he will have to live with it till election day. He will be constantly hounded by journalists to restate his belief that he will win the general elections and will thus risk being perceived as carrying on with his defiance of disgruntled voters.

If he slowly shies away from his statement he will risk being perceived as losing confidence in his party’s fortunes.

Dr Gonzi is fast becoming his party’s most serious liability.

Dr Gulia is the opposition’s main spokesman on home affairs