The result of the recent election was not the one we hoped and worked so hard for. Every political party enters the electoral contest with the ambition of earning the trust of the majority of the people and securing the opportunity to lead the country towards its vision.

Yet politics is also about seeing the bigger picture, recognising the context of the reality in its entirety, understanding where we came from, where we stand today, and where we are heading tomorrow.

Only a short while ago, many commentators had already written the Nationalist Party off. There were those who believed that the gap between the two major parties had become insurmountable and that the PN was now trapped in a vicious cycle of haemorrhaging votes.

Alex Borg, who hasn't been at the helm of the part for one full calendar year yet, proved all this wrong. Under his leadership, the Nationalist Party managed to regroup, reorganise and refocus. He brought together different voices within the party and channelled them towards a common purpose. He restored confidence among supporters who had grown disillusioned, and encouraged many others who had drifted away to take a second look at what the party stands for.

Most importantly, he showed every last Nationalist supporter, but also many others who had never considered themselves close to the PN, that this party was a credible alternative to govern.

The election result reflected this effort. While we did not achieve the majority of votes, we all know that the electoral deficit that had been accumulating over the years has been significantly slashed, almost by half. We increased our votes on all districts, we increased the number of seats, won Gozo. This was the best result the PN obtained since 2013.

However, reducing the electoral deficit was never going to be the end goal, but a significant and note-worthy milestone, all the same. The greatest mistake we could make now would be to downplay the immense work that has been done in the past eight months, to be where we are today. The work of thousands of volunteers, helpers, professionals and common citizens who have believed in this vision.

The last election may not have resulted in a mandate for Government, but it did burden us with the important responsibility of a strengthened position, an increased support for our politics, and a clear message that the electorate wants a stronger Opposition. The Maltese and Gozitan families expect us to scrutinise, to challenge, to propose and to continue presenting a vision for the future of our country.

That is why we cannot afford to start afresh once again. We have spent too many years, more than a decade actually, looking inwards, wasting time, instead of focusing on the issues that truly are on the Maltese people's minds, and finding the solutions that a Labour Government, will never be able or have the courage to find. 

Families struggling with rising costs, young people searching for affordable housing, workers seeking better opportunities in Malta, communities concerned about their quality of life. None of them are interested in internal politics, they want solutions.

We have done this already, and the results have started to show. Now it is time to continue building on the solid foundations we have laid.

My trust in Alex Borg is unwavering, because he has already shown the courage to take on a difficult challenge and the determination to move the party forward. He has proven capable of bringing people together around a common purpose. Most of all, I trust him because he understands that our mission is bigger than any one individual.

The election may be over, but the work has only just begun. The Nationalist Party has regained momentum, and restored belief among thousands of Maltese citizens who want to see a stronger alternative. Now it is time to build upwards.

Darren Carabott is a PN Member of Parliament