Nationalist Party Leader Simon Busuttil has this afternoon announced that the PN and Partit Demokratiku will be participating in the 3 June general election with 110 candidates. This is a PN record for the number of candidates for the general election. 99 of these candidates are contesting for the PN and 11 are contesting for Marlene Farrugia's PD. A quarter of the candidates list are women. "I am not satisfied with the female participation for this general election," he said while addressing a press conference at the PN headquarters.
20% of the candidates are younger than 35 years of age and 60% of the candidates are new to the adventure.
"When I was chosen to lead the Nationalist Party, I made very clear that I wanted to change the PN into a party for the people. Today I can look around me and see that we have managed to achieve this."
"Before us, we have a huge challenge and huge responsibility. Together with my candidates, we need to bring back faith to politics. The situation which developed throughout these four years, has caused a lot of mistrust in politics. I am determined to win this challenge."
Remarking that the PN is contesting the election together with Partit Demokratiku as Forza Nazzjonali, Dr Busuttil said that this coalition is built on unity and diversity. "Our party is built on consensus," he said.
He thanked Marlene Farrugia for the courage to make the step in the right direction, to preserve national interest. Simon Busuttil then looked at Godfrey Farrugia, who today entered the PN HQ for the first time as member of PD, and thanked him for his courage. The candidates sitting behind the PN leader all joined in one applause.
Marlene Farrugia said that the coalition exists because the public feels betrayed by those who were meant to lead the country. "People don't want the PN which was removed from power but they don't want the movement of Taghna Lkoll either because it led a different road," she said.
"PD was created from within the people to reach the aspirations which honest PL voters wanted, aspirations which were betrayed."
"The people will choose either a government who tried to change the norms, to cast a shadow on the country even during the presidency. Or the public will cast each and every vote for a new government, which will result in, not only a win for that day, but for all the upcoming five years."
She then turned to those questioning the true leadership of the coalition. "We will lead a government which the public can feel involved in all the decisions," she added.
"I call on the people to reach out to their true, socialist soul. Dear labourites, you will win in this election. You will win with me and Godfrey. We will work to achieve your dream."