Following the discourteous exit of Lawrence Gonzi, not only from the reigns of the country but also from those of the party Leadership, somehow everyone 'knew' that the next in line would be Dr Simon Busuttil, this young, endearing lawyer dedicated to the European cause which he almost took on single handedly. 

We knew that Simon Busuttil was a prodigious campaigner and this could be seen by the tally of votes he amassed over the elections he has contested as an MEP and even in his first run as an MP. 

This was all in some measure due to his ability but there were other fundamentals in the pot, namely, the endorsement of the party and in the case of the MEP elections the scrawny candidature that characterized the MEP elections he contested. 

People who had asked me at the time of the leadership contest. 'who is the most suitable candidate following the Lawrence Gonzi era', I had answered, "unquestionably Simon Busuttil". 

Simon Busuttil looked fresh, he played the 'giving it all up for the good of the country card' (which in all truth didn't work much) and even though Gonzi was the outgoing leader he wanted to leave his legacy by anointing Simon Busuttil as his chosen and special one.  In a way the PN Counselors felt that they didn't have too much of an option and felt that they should toe the line.    

Nevertheless, extraordinarily enough, a number of people I know who are close to the Nationalist Party still feel uneasy about this new leader and estimate that this was a strategic lapse that will lead them to a would-be second electoral defeat. 

As a matter of fact, many PN followers still bank on a Joseph Muscat booboo (he came very close with the Gas Power Station/Resignation issue) rather than on a Simon Busuttil's accomplishment, for the success of the party. 

In more ways than one I do understand that apprehension. 

Simon Busuttil has gone on the blink on too many fronts for someone who is in Opposition and where the only way is up.

In my ruling he has until now fallen short of rallying back the troops that abandoned the party and most of all he has not succeeded in drawing in the people who are unfamiliar to the PN.

But I think Simon Busuttil has been pushed around too much within the party 'to be someone he isn't'.  His advisers seemed to be interested in making him a direct polarity to Joseph Muscat, which is a wrong move of incredible proportions. 

With the charisma, media persona and style of Muscat, there is no way that Busuttil with his soft spoken, person-centered, crowd-phobic personality would be able to take him on.  He would be outshined big time, and that was what was happening. 

Simon Busuttil doesn't need to create a style. 

What he needs to do is to recreate himself if he has any chance of facing the music in three years time. 

People have known Simon Busuttil for ages and any change in his style, for example packing his speeches with sarcasm and black humor, kicking hard with cynical metaphors and the rest - won't really get him any social currency.  He really needs to understand who he is and get back doing what he was best at, explaining the specifics, rationalizing the essentials and touching on the facts. 

Together with that, some vital standpoints need to be in force.  The Nationalist Party and Simon Busuttil's leadership needs to be seen that positions are being taken. 

The PN was often critical in the past of the PL because the latter would keep the cards to their chest (Hon Dr Chris Said MP on Radju Malta's Ghandi xi Nghid confirmed this http://andrewazzopardi.org/ghandi-x-nghid-radio-show/).

So far in his leadership Busuttil has failed to carve up his viewpoint on the Civil Unions debate and the gay adoption matter.  He seemed to sit on the fence when it came to the spring hunting dispute. He is murky on what will happen to the Armier boathouses and his stance on land reclamation.  But the biggest shaggy dog story so far is that Simon Busuttil was contented because he got the third seat in the MEP elections, which is simply a matter of an unwise electoral system that seems to be designed to keep the losers happy as well!   

In my opinion Simon Busuttil should take his act a step up. 

He needs to stop using confrontation politics, it's not his style and he messes it up anyway.  If he wants to have a real go at becoming Prime Minister he has to lay back and walk the talk. 

People more than ever are more interested in politicians that take a position even if they might not share the carriage. 

Simon Busuttil needs to get away from the media attention and focus on rethinking the PN's identity which is nowhere near clear.  If the PN does not reinvent itself it will soon become obsolete and irrelevant. 

He should give direction, work on winning back the trust of the innumerable 'interest groups' and the social sectors that the PN has managed to throw out of the window but who in the past have traditionally found solace in the Nationalist Party. 

Simon Busuttil in other words needs to bring the laces behind the ball!

The CEOs, conventions, party logos, flashy TV wipes, and new presenters on NET TV will only serve a purpose when the direction is clear.  If not, people will read into all of the 'fixfixó' and give the PN another drubbing. 

This is nothing less than a presidential contest we are getting, election in-election out. 

The PL's strongest element has been and remains Joseph Muscat.   All the political discourses are designed around him.  What's extraordinary is that he manages to recuperate every time a slip-up happens. 

So there you go, at this point this is not about Simon versus Joseph but it's about Simon versus Simon. 

If the wrong Simon keeps coming across, the prospects are not good - if otherwise the PN stands a chance.

*Next blog is all about Joseph Muscat...