On Saturday the Nationalist Party voted for their new President during the General Council. Paula Mifsud Bonnici, garnering 500 of 753 valid votes, became the first female president of the PN. The result was a surprise with many commentators having tipped Lija mayor Ian Castaldi Paris to win it. In the event, Paula (her full name is too long to write repeatedly) ran away with it with over 60 per cent.

We must say it in no uncertain terms, she has her work cut out. The PN has earned itself a temporary reprieve as a result of the reaction to Budget 2010. It has appeased both the general public and industry players, but the mini ‘feel good’ factor will not last long.

There are a long four years or so until the next general election with a party who is in government with only a one-seat majority.

To say that the government is fragile would be an understatement. At present the PN is in flux. The government has a very rowdy set of backbenchers and this, of course, spills over into the party too.

Paula will have to use skill and guile to bring order to the party. And she will also have many turbulent issues to deal with. One can say from now that the period of calm that has descended will soon give way to anger once the new water and electricity tariffs begin to bite.

Maltese politics are strange to say the least, and one must never forget that the party which is in government is always interpreted to be one and the same. Let us explain. Malta must be one of the few places in the world where a political party is equated to the actual government if in power. The only similar place would be the UK, but the growth of the Lib Dems and the BNP have changed the political landscape.

Put very simply, at present, here and now, the general public equate PN with government – in fact, PN = government.

With the resignation of former President Victor Scerri, this became more evident. The vacuum which he left behind was to an extent filled by the Prime Minister. Of course, the PM is the head of the party, but with the said vacuum, the demarcation line between Prime Minister and PN leader became very blurred.

In these times of strife, it was not good for the party, but it was a necessary evil. And this is where Paula has a lot of work to do. She must redefine the role of party president and must also seek to destroy the image of PN and government being one and the same.

This administration is beleaguered and that is putting it mildly.

She must seek to give the party new impetus and to focus more on the thoughts, fears and aspirations of the general public, rather than what is on the government's mind. Europe, as a result of the recession, has rediscovered people power and the PN would do well to take a leaf out of other political parties’ books and LISTEN.

All around Europe, and Malta is no exception, people are sick of being told this, that and the other. They want to be listened to, they want to be involved in the decision-making process and more than anything, they want a set of political ideals which they feel they can identify with. Paula, we wish you well.