The PN's Executive Committee has voted to appoint Francis Zammit Dimech as the interim secretary general with immediate effect. The party's statute reform process has also passed on to its final phase, according to an official party statement.

Delia speaking to the press after the Executive Committee's meeting, said that his leadership was not discussed. 

Adrian Delia has faced fresh calls for his resignation, after a survey showed that he had an abysmal trust rating. Since then, several high up party officials have resigned, including Clyde Puli from the post of secretary general, and Robert Arrigo from the post of PN Deputy Leader (who will be staying on till March). 

Delia, taking questions outside the PN's headquarters, said that "we need to be courageous and continue with the party reform." He said that the post of secretary general has to be filled and cannot be left vacant, and thus "we decided that it be filled in the interim until we conclude the reforms." Delia said that in the reform, anything can happen from the abolition of the post of secretary general to one that is different, to ideas whether it should be an MP to occupy it or not, "and so until the reform happens in the weeks and months to come it has to be filled."

Party sources told The Malta Independent that the over 50 members from the Executive voted in favour of the measure, while around a dozen either voted against or abstained. The sources also said that PN Leader Adrian Delia was adamant that having an interim secretary general was not in the best interest of the party, and the sources believe that Delia wanted Clyde Puli, who recently submitted his resignation to stay on.

Asked whether he agreed that there be an interim secretary general, Delia said: "I wanted to eventually go on to have complete positions, but in that particular position you cannot have a vacant seat as it deals with the day to day administration." Regarding the other roles, such as the President of the Executive, President of the Administrative Council, the International Secretary etc. "positions that did not require immediacy," Delia indicated that these will be made after the reforms conclude and the roles are defined.

Adrian Delia was also asked about the '17 heroes' post by PN MP Jason Azzopardi on Facebook. Delia said that "we do not need heroes, but politicians who are closer to the people and to what is needed, and so the work, humility and hard work is what the country needs."

Delia said that the meeting was positive in the sense that "we made a step forward and not a step back, that there was a free discussion."

Sources said that this Saturday the Executive Committee will also meet to discuss veteran politician Louis Galea's proposals for reform within the party, explaining that the Parliamentary Group had already discussed these proposals at length, and that the leadership was dragging its feet in this regard.