Francis Zammit Dimech will not contest for the PN’s General Secretary role, with 26-year-old Michael Piccinino being nominated as a potential replacement for the long-serving PN stalwart.
As election season looms, Opposition leader Bernard Grech has numerous times hinted that he wants change to happen within party ranks, with people from generations past making way for new blood.
Bearing this in mind, Zammit Dimech seems to be one of the people to make way for new energy to be injected in the party’s high-ranks.
In a Facebook post on Sunday, Piccinino expressed that the next few months will be crucial for the PN as they have to “increase effort, energy, and enthusiasm” in order to organise the party for the next general election.
Piccinino is not new to the PN structure, however, as he is the Executive Organisational Secretary for the PN and is a lawyer by profession. This move, however, would prove to be a significant step upwards within the ranks of the PN.
He also said that he has accepted Grech’s nomination for him to be considered as the new replacement for Zammit Dimech’ role as General Secretary within the PN ranks. He remarked that “in the coming days, if I am given the confidence of the Councillors to represent them in the Executive, I will submit the nomination to become General Secretary of the Party.”
Piccinino offered his thanks to Zammit Dimech “for his tireless work and encouragement” for the party. He also remarked that Zammit Dimech was “instrumental in me agreeing to take this step.”
“I’m not only excited for the high-ranking role in the Party, but also eager to continue to serve the Party and the country,” Piccinino said. “Together, with one goal in mind, we can give back to the country the Government it deserves.”
Zammit Dimech, a former MEP and well-respected member of the party, stepped into the role of Secretary General under the tenure of Adrian Delia, replacing MP Clyde Puli in one of Delia’s many efforts to try and unite his troops.
Elections for the party’s internal roles will be held next week at the General Council, with 18 posts on the PN’s executive committee expected to be filled.