In the run-up to the March general election, Opposition Leader Bernard Grech started a process to renew the Nationalist Party and a number of veteran MPs were asked not to contest.

The move, although pledged by Grech himself months before, proved to be somewhat controversial, with those asked to step aside and their backers feeling betrayed.

The move also seems to have led to mixed results. While new faces were voted in, overall, the PN did not fare any better than in previous elections. The lack of political ‘dinosaurs’ did not win it any more votes than usual.

That process of renewal has continued through Grech’s choice of shadow cabinet, with some old faces left out in the cold, without a role. These include Chris Said, Mario de Marco and Carm Mifsud Bonnici.

One the one hand, it is positive to see that Grech is giving space to younger, more energetic MPs who can bring a fresh style of politics. But he must also be careful not to alienate a chunk of PN votes who support these sidelined MPs.

The problem as such is not that they were left out of the shadow cabinet, but the reasons given. In the case of Chris Said, for example, it has been alleged (by Said himself), that he was not given a role because he had formed part of Lawrence Gonzi’s cabinet.

If this is true, then the PN Leader risks offending the many Nationalists who still respect Gonzi and who argue that, despite the fact that the PN’s downfall began under his leadership, he was a good Prime Minister who led Malta through very turbulent times.

But perhaps this is not the true reason why Chris Said was left out. After all, Beppe Fenech Adami also served in the Gonzi administration and has been given a role in the shadow cabinet.

In a move seemingly aimed at mending relationships, Grech has given his predecessor, Adrian Delia, a mega portfolio – transport, mobility and capital projects. This was a wise move, given the hurt that is still felt by many in the PN after Delia’s deposition.

But while Grech has done well to appease Delia and his supporters, he must be careful not to alienate other sections of voters who are loyal to the MPs who have been left without a role.

Grech knows that every move will come at a cost. Someone will always feel hurt, and so will the teams of canvassers behind them. It is a delicate balancing act with Grech must practice carefully.

The second argument that must be made is on the actual composition of the shadow cabinet.

Shortly after the March 26 election, Prime Minister Robert Abela announced his huge, 25-member cabinet.

Apart from being unnecessarily large, the new Cabinet seems to be plagued by the fragmentation of certain sectors that should have been placed under one ministry.

For example, inclusion and equality fall under two different ministers.

In other cases, some ministers were once again given mega portfolios, including Miriam Dalli, who is responsible for energy, enterprise and the environment. This does not augur well for Robert Abela’s promises of making the environment a top priority. If this were really the case, we should have had a dedicated environment minister.

As is customary, the Nationalist Party has practically emulated the government when setting up its shadow Cabinet, although the PN’s is bigger, comprising of 32 MPs.

But while most shadow ministers have been given the same, or similar responsibilities to the ministers they will be shadowing, the PN shadow cabinet has also fragmented certain sectors.

As an example, in the case of the government, finance and employment fall under one ministry, that headed by Clyde Caruana. But in the case of the PN, finance is under one person, employment under another, and self-employed under yet another MP.

There are two arguments to be made here. Firstly, that the shadow cabinet should not be a copy of the government cabinet if the latter is poorly organised, in terms of portfolios.

Secondly, the PN should not make the government’s mistake and compound it by fragmenting these sectors even further. Why does it need three MPs to shadow different parts of the employment sector? Would it not be better if all forms of employment fell under the responsibility of one MP?

Let us not forget that the shadow cabinet’s job is not only to scrutinise the government but also to come up with its own proposals.

Indeed, when forming its shadow cabinet, the Opposition must look to its own needs and priorities.