As expected, the Nationalist Party general council yesterday endorsed the proposal put forward by its new leader to have two deputies, instead of the one the PN always had.

It was the first big move that Simon Busuttil made after his election to the party’s top post. Whether this was done out of pure conviction or else as a sign of appeasement is something that will not get any confirmation, at least anytime soon.

This decision was approved unanimously by the party executive and parliamentary group on Thursday, but this does not mean that all officials in the two bodies endorsed it. This newspaper’s online edition reported that there was no consensus on the matter, as some questioned the timing as well as the validity of such a move. But, at the end of the day, the will of the majority prevailed.

Of course, this has opened up a new scenario in the PN ranks. So far, only Beppe Fenech Adami, true to the word he gave a few weeks ago even before the race for the leadership post was concluded, has openly confirmed that he will contest. Claudette Buttigieg, who had announced her candidacy before the idea of two deputy leaders was put forth, will most likely throw her hat in too.

It remains to be seen whether Mario de Marco, who obtained 38% of the councillors’ preferences, will go for it. Soon after the election of Simon Busuttil, Dr de Marco said he was not interested. But it is known that he is being pushed to contest, and the respect and support he gained after moving out of the leadership race after the first hurdle might encourage him to change his mind.

We will know more when the applications for nominations close tomorrow, with the election scheduled to be held on 25 May.

Having two deputy leaders for the PN means that the party is becoming more like its political opponents – at least in the way it is structured – and this after the PN had ridiculed the Labour Party when it had gone for two deputies and for appointing a CEO to run its commercial entities, a move that the PN is likely to go for as well.

The PN, in the election campaign, had constantly accused the PL of being a copy of the PN. Now it seems that the PN is finding no qualms in copying what the PL has done.