Adrian Delia's leadership of the Nationalist Party (PN) sparked intense debate, marked by internal conflicts and external legal battles. Despite being democratically elected by party members, Delia's tenure was short-lived, with insiders questioning his ability to lead the party to electoral success. This piece reflects on Delia's leadership, his battle in the courts, the internal resistance he faced, and how the PN continues to struggle under its current leader, Bernard Grech. More crucially, it explores how the party's recent performance, while showing modest gains, may not translate into electoral victory.

Adrian Delia's ejection: Leadership by popular vote but not by insiders

Adrian Delia's rise to leadership in the PN was unexpected. He was an outsider by many within the party's inner circle, despite being elected by party members. His leadership style, which was more direct and unfiltered, resonated with many grassroots supporters who felt that the PN had lost touch with its base. However, a group within the party fiercely resisted his leadership, questioning his ability to lead, particularly considering declining party ratings.

This small but influential group of insiders went as far as attempting to involve Malta's president, George Vella, to remove Delia from his position as leader, citing the party's poor ratings as justification. However, the President wisely refused to intervene, recognising the matter as an internal issue that needed to be resolved within the party itself. This episode underscored the deep divisions within the PN and the growing tension between Delia's supporters and his detractors.

Despite these internal conflicts, Delia remained steadfast in his leadership. His vision for the party was clear, and he attempted to unite the PN behind a common goal. Yet, the cracks within the party only widened, culminating in his eventual removal from leadership. His ejection raised serious questions about the internal democracy of the party and whether the will of the party members was truly being respected by those at the top.

The Vitals court Case: A moment of vindication for Delia

One of the defining moments of Delia's leadership was his decision to challenge the controversial Vitals Global Healthcare (VGH) deal in court. In 2015, the Maltese government had awarded Vitals a 99-year concession to run three major public hospitals, an agreement that immediately raised concerns about transparency and the lack of healthcare experience by VGH.

Delia, while still serving as leader of the PN, filed a court case in 2018 challenging the legality of the VGH concession. He argued the deal was fraudulent and not in the best interest of Malta's taxpayers, accusing Vitals of failing to meet its contractual obligations. This legal action was a bold move and showcased Delia's commitment to holding the government accountable for mismanaging public assets.

As the case dragged on, the PN under Bernard Grech's leadership took a backseat, adopting a passive approach to Delia's legal battle. It wasn't until February 2023, when the Maltese court ruled in Delia's favour and annulled the concession, that the party rallied behind him. The court's ruling declared the VGH deal fraudulent and void, stating that the hospitals should return to full government control. This victory vindicated Delia's claims and positioned him as a champion for transparency, perseverance and accountability in public-private partnerships.

Yet, the question remains: where was the party's support when Delia was fighting this battle? The PN's reluctance to fully support Delia during the legal proceedings, only to join his cause after his success, reflects a deeper issue within the party-an unwillingness to take bold, decisive stances on critical matters until they are sure of victory.

The PN's current state: Gains without momentum

Since Bernard Grech took over the leadership of the PN, the party has seen some modest gains in popularity. However, these gains are not significant enough to suggest a genuine shift in voter sentiment. Rather, they appear to be more of a protest vote against the Labour Party than a clear swing in favour of the PN. This presents a fundamental challenge: can the PN, under Grech's leadership, realistically position itself as a credible alternative to the Labour government?

The trust ratings of Bernard Grech provide a stark answer. Surveys have consistently shown that Grech's trust rating lags far behind that of Prime Minister Robert Abela, with gaps of over 20 percentage points sometimes. Grech's trust rating has hovered around 23-30%, a figure that does not inspire confidence in the PN's ability to win an election. Despite efforts to revitalise the party's image and platform, Grech has struggled to unite the party or gain significant traction with voters.

This trust deficit is critical. In Maltese politics, people often perceive the leader's popularity as a direct reflection of the party's viability. A party cannot hope to win an election if most of its supporters do not trust its leader, let alone the broader electorate.

Bernard Grech's leadership: A missed opportunity?

His efforts to distance himself from the internal factionalism that characterised Delia's time in office have marked Bernard Grech's tenure as leader of the PN time in office. However, despite some internal reforms and efforts to project a more unified party, Grech's leadership has not delivered the electoral momentum needed to challenge Labour's dominance.

While the PN has made some advancement in local elections and European Parliament results, these gains have not translated into a broader electoral movement. Instead, Grech's leadership continues to be haunted by the same trust issues that plagued his predecessors. The PN's internal divisions, while less visible under Grech, still simmer beneath the surface, and the party's inability to offer an interesting alternative to Labour remains a significant obstacle.

The modest increase in support for the PN is unlikely to hold in the long term. As elections approach, many voters who may have temporarily shifted away from Labour may eventually return to their roots, thus limiting the PN's potential for growth. Without a leader who can inspire trust and offer a clear vision for Malta's future, the PN's current trajectory seems unsustainable.

The path forward for the PN

Adrian Delia's leadership was a tumultuous chapter in the history of the Nationalist Party, marked by internal conflicts and external legal victories. His success in the Vitals court case showed the importance of bold, transparent leadership, a quality that the PN under Bernard Grech has struggled to replicate.

While the party has made some gains in popularity, these are not enough to suggest that the PN is on a path to electoral victory. The lack of trust in Grech's leadership, combined with the party's inability to unite behind a clear vision, raises serious doubts about its future prospects.

If the PN hopes to regain its former glory and present itself as a credible alternative to Labour, it must address these fundamental issues. The party needs a leader who can inspire trust, unite its factions, and offer an interesting vision for Malta's future. Without this, the modest gains the party has made will remain just that-modest.

In the end, the PN must learn from Delia's leadership, not in terms of style or personality, but in his willingness to take risks and fight for what he believed was right. Only by embracing bold, decisive leadership can the party hope to win back the trust of the electorate and position itself as a genuine contender in Malta's political landscape.