The general election is over and the PN has again been confirmed as the governing party by the relative majority of the Maltese people.

It was a third consecutive win for the Nationalist Party in a general election, but I believe it was the most difficult of them all, perhaps even more than that in 1987, which brought to an end a 16-year Labour rule.

This one came after 10 years of Nationalist rule, harsh opposition not from one or two parties, but from three, not to mention those thousands of Nationalist Party supporters who either did not go to vote or simply invalidated their vote. There were about 25,000 of them, if I am not mistaken, although not all of them might have been PN supporters. There seemed to be a strong call for a change, especially from the Labour Party side. In a few words, the PN was facing an uphill battle right from the start of the campaign.

Let us also not forget that the party in government always stands to lose out in a general election, while its opponents have everything to gain.

This was not the case in this election. The PN did the trick and made it to another five-year legislature, even if by a small majority of around 1,500 votes.

And all this thanks to its leader, the affable Dr Lawrence Gonzi, and his bandwagon, despite all the rumours that had been going on during the past six weeks of the election campaign.

So hats off to Dr Gonzi for steering his ship safely into the harbour. He and the PN managed to convince the majority of the electorate with his genuine arguments, apart from offering a serious programme which we now will be looking forward to see implemented.

We can all now rest assured that, as was the case during the past four years of his leadership, that he will lead the country to win more impending challenges and see the country registering further progress.

And by the way, I would like to congratulate MLP deputy leader Dr Michael Falzon for the most honourable way he conceded defeat.

HENRY BRINCAT

Birkirkara