Opposition Leader Adrian Delia said in the early hours of Friday morning that if the General Council votes for a leadership race to take place, that he will contest.
After an executive committee meeting that lasted over five hours, the two factions within the PN agreed on a way forward for the party. The PN's General Council will vote on whether the tesserati (paid members) at the National Convention should be invited to confirm Adrian Delia as party leader or hold a leadership election. The General Council vote is expected to take place on 31 July.
If the Convention is given the option to confirm Delia, and he loses the vote, Delia said that he will resign.
Delia has been facing calls to resign, having lost confidence votes in the parliamentary group and the executive committee.
The original question that Delia wanted to put to the General Council was "Do you agree that a General Convention be called in three weeks' time so that the PN's tesserati (paid members) can hold a vote of confidence in Adrian Delia?"
This however was countered by a proposal for the General Council to hold a confidence vote, and then the aforementioned compromise was found which saw unanimous approval.
Addressing the press, Delia said that the executive committee saw many people contribute, and that he heard all arguments. He said there was a "clear show that everyone wanted to give their contribution." He said that he felt that a wider choice had to be given to the General Council, but the final choice in terms of who the party wants as leader needed to be taken by the tesserati.
Delia said that this will be the third time that he will go before the people. The last word should always be taken by the people, Delia stressed.
If there is a decision to keep Delia, he said that if after the third time there is a confirmation from the voters, "then I understand everyone must respect that vote. As a party we respect the electorate and those who would continue to feel uncomfortable that I would be re-confirmed then they would have to carry that responsibility."
The General Convention will take place 3 weeks after the Council vote.