Two months have elapsed since the general election was held with the expected outcome of a Labour landslide still being minced by the Nationalist Party.

Although the Labour Party led by Robert Abela has been given a clear mandate to govern, such a gap between the two main political parties can have its downside with regard to the strengthening of democracy.

A healthy democracy necessitates a healthy opposition and even though I have always sympathised with the Labour Party, such a situation does not augur well.

Whilst Robert Abela has made shrewd calculations in his choice of cabinet members likewise those who have voted for the Nationalist Party have made it clear cut that it is time up for the old guard to move on.

Just as Robert Abela has ensured to keep any potential liabilities at bay Bernard Grech has demonstrated similar cunningness in selecting his shadow cabinet. The future lies amongst the younger generation and if the Nationalist Party is to possibly offer a solid challenge in five years’ time, it’s the flair and enthusiasm of their new blood that can make a difference.

The recent revelation by the PN leader as to the dire situation of the party’s finances is surely unwelcoming. In discussing extant theories of corporate failure excessive debt is considered to be a qualitative characteristic of corporate failure. Having a political party disclosing outstanding debt to the tune of €32 million is by local standards surely a worrying state of affairs.

I can fully understand that this is an unwarranted symptom which if not addressed will, undoubtedly, be a cause for the PN to cease to exist in the medium to the long term. The current leader, Bernard Grech, who shared such an unfavourable dimension in the party’s finances, is adamant to address it, once confirmed leader as party councillors are called to do so during the last weekend in May.

Yet, such confirmation is the crux of Grech’s fate in the upcoming statutory process within the Nationalist Party. It is evidently clear that Grech is fetching a favourable result in excess of 70% of the PN councillors eligible to vote. Anything less will surely not augur well for Grech’s planned medicine to fix the party’s finances. Those councillors that are possibly taken aback for any recent decision taken by Grech and are thinking of abstaining from voting, will only be creating further harm.

In a recent spontaneous interview outside Parliament, Adrian Delia, was unequivocally clear that the wrong he endured a few years ago when he was leader is not correct now and vice-versa. Moreover, his thorough explanation as to what can be considered to be constructive criticism and what is destructive said it all. Yet, he has demonstrated what it takes to let bygones be bygones.

All in all, perhaps the current eligible councillors should revisit a lesson from the party’s history. After its electoral loss in 1971, albeit not with the current margin, the PN embarked on a much needed rejuvenation process by identifying a new vision and purpose. At the time the party was endowed with a nucleus of genuine party men who rather than fetching their own ego, thought more of what is in the best interest of the party, and eventually, for our beloved Malta.

Adrian Delia has set an unprecedented example in such behaviour. Hopefully, PN councillors in their majority will follow suit, not just for the wellbeing of the party itself but for the much needed strengthening of Maltese parliamentary democracy.

Dr Ivan Grixti is a senior lecturer in Financial Accounting at the University of Malta