So you want me to tell you why there is need for a new, emerging, strong, decisive and fresh face as leader of the PN?

That there is a BIG problem with the PN and its internal and external structures is evident. Undoubtedly, last Saturday’s victory highlights the PN STILL has a weak leadership, a STILL divided party that looks back instead forward, an undisciplined set-up, erratic behaviour from its councillors, and balances that still go unchecked. Whatever the efforts of Dr Busuttil and Co- it is not enough! It is clear that the leader is not cut out to lead, he is not charismatic and lacks the political punch. His advisors and consultants have given him wrong advice on many issues and his arguments bore on the extremes in his build-up to political speeches.  He does not have the ‘pull’ factor, and so PN supporters should not be surprised that the PN-LP gap remains the same after more than a year since the massive defeat in the last elections.

Premier Joseph Muscat, on the other hand, boasted of a united front, with devoted party activists swarming everywhere and produced a populist message to enthral his audience, while his party inner circle produced quantitative materials to promote the PL. As a marketing strategist does, Muscat the leader, oriented his attention inward, paying attention to certain aspects of his own personality, and has become skillful at using his strengths to influence and inspire others. In my analysis, Muscat’s leader’s skill comprises four “skills of character” – drive, self-awareness, people skills, and practical insight, combined with a strong party machine and determination to bring forward what he set forth.

Simon Busuttil was the man who spearheaded and convinced the majority of the nation to vote in favour of Malta’s accession into the EU and who then won more than 68,000 personal votes in one such MEP election. Ironically, it is the same Simon Busuttil that has suffered the largest MEP election defeat at the helm of the PN, barely short of twelve months from his election as PN Leader.

Dr Busuttil showed why he is uninspiring after defeat- he lacked cohesiveness,  devoid  of decisive replies, uncharacteristically unassertive and downright lacking charisma. The PN does not only need a deep, soul searching exercise, but a clean sweep of the broom inside out! It also needs a strong, decisive, assertive leader, who does not hide behind the 80,000 or so odd abstaining voter - the margin of voter apathy is always hanging around 20% mark in MEP elections- this time it was 5% more- no big deal- and only equivalent to around 16,000 votes.

The PN lacks strategy and unity. There is still a great divide between the PN and the general grassroots- some MEP candidates were simply absurd, went to extremes spending thousands upon thousands in a bid to attract voters, others not spending a cent without a marketing slogan, some conspicuous by their absence from house visits, which in turn led to confusion and apathy among voters, and others simply not the right fit for the job, despite the party trying to be seen as ‘rigorous’ when screening candidates. A great manager does not become a good leader simply by being promoted. When choosing an organisation’s leaders, understanding the difference is crucial. Leadership is not all about power or an ego trip. And its not about intimidation and using fear as motivation. The PN need a leader not a boss (Kap)!

There should be no mystery surrounding myths by which one candidate are accepted, obtain relevant backing votes from the councillors and screened by the Party. This should not happen in a  transparent Party. There should be no complacency, lack of strategy or vision, nor lack of response to society’s changes, or responding with outdated policies and principles. There should be a plan of action, especially for the South and Gozo, two districts which have given the PN the thumbs down in succession for a number of reasons. This was the third successive election which the PL has won with a margin of more than 30,000 votes, the first being the 2009 EP elections. A strong leader would have dealt with all this, yet Simon Busuttil was not  able to do anything about this.

By refusing to speak to the media or give any comments soon after the results were announced, the PN candidates underlined once more the siege mentality that they live in. This wrong attitude is the kind which the PN should absolutely do away with. It is useless to have the leader declare that he takes note and hear the people’s message. It also useless to say a lot has been done, when one easily notes the same old faces behind last year’s catastrophic defeat, backing one MEP candidate or another, and then running around election hall in a frenzy. Nor is it enough to wait for the result of the third seat to come in. That is not sufficient grounds to retain leadership.  The PN is still in disarray, with an old ‘pair’ of hands or two pulling the strings behind the scenes- the same faces that bear the responsibility for the last election defeat squarely on their shoulders. Simon Busuttil was a sorry state yesterday in front of the media- laborious, evasive, distant from reality, unimpressive and failing to carry the blame effectively. If he is a strong leader, he should have admitted it is his fault and step down. Simply, there is no other alternative and the best, honourable thing to do is to make way. Otherwise, the PN will suffer an even greater debacle in future.

Indeed, certain people within the PN are still ‘old school’ and still possess a beleaguered mentality that refuses to go away. The PN needs a stronger leader and Malta needs a stronger opposition, especially when the country is run by a government that has a 36,000/nine-seat majority. What the PN needs now is a total shake-up top to bottom, no bars withheld. It needs more than the earthquake promised by Joseph Muscat to the MLP activists following his election as the then MLP leader of a defeated Labour Party, before embarking on his ‘Generazzjoni Rebbieha’ campaign. The PN leadership should take a leaf by changing mentality and rooting out the elements that are resistant to change, re-engineer its structures completely and rebrand, before it decides on a clear idea where it wants to go.

Before that is done, no matter what the PN does, it can only wallow in the mire.