The Nationalist Party is experiencing a surge in new membership applications and renewals, with sources saying that this reflects efforts being made by anti-Delia MPs to garner wider support for the eventuality that a new confidence vote is held.

Sources told The Malta Independent that with Delia refusing to step down the 17 MPs (plus two MEPs) who voted against Delia last week will now be seeking to call a vote of no confidence at the general council as they explore other ways of ousting the embattled leader.

Rebel MPs who spoke to this newsroom last week said they believe the numbers in the general council are on their side and that Delia would lose a confidence vote there.

During the tumultuous executive meeting last Tuesday, former Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi urged the Opposition Leader to seek a fresh confidence vote among the party members.

Delia has continued to hold that he will remain on as party leader on the basis that it was the party’s members who had voted him into the post, and that he feels obliged to respect that vote and see out his full term till the next general election.

The Malta Independent also reported on Friday that a statutory clause which states that a vote of confidence in the party leader cannot take place within two years of a previous vote does not take into account the vote which took place last July, as that happened before the new statute was enacted.