After attaining a 98.2% approval rate from PN councillors to stay on as PN leader, Alex Borg capped off the Nationalist Party's General Council by telling its delegates that, starting tomorrow, he will be bringing "revolutionary" changes to the party's statute and internal structures.
Borg's speech relied heavily on bringing renewal to the Nationalist Party, as well as regaining the general public's trust, and attracting more and more people towards Dar Ċentrali over the coming five years.
On Wednesday evening, Borg was strongly given PN councillors' support to stay on as the party leader. He was the sole candidate in this leadership election, which was organised due to statutory obligations following the recent general election. Borg was confirmed to remain PN leader after a whopping 98.2% of the 1,492 votes cast went in his favour.
In his acceptance speech, that closed off the PN General Council, Borg said that he will be calling upon the PN's leadership and administrative teams on Thursday so that they may begin this process to bring "holistic renewal" to the PN statute.
Borg said that "this will be the biggest renewal the PN statute has ever seen" and that he will carry the responsibility for this to be seen over the coming months.
He also said that he intends to "totally change the party's structures" to make the PN more "modern" and "efficient" from within.
The reinstated PN leader warned that this renewal might shock and scare off some people, "but the party's future is important," he said. He observed that the PN's future does not belong to himself or any of its delegates, as the party will continue after them through its duty to serve Malta, Gozo, and the country's overall future.
"Renewal is not a choice - it is an obligation that we must carry out to make the PN a winning party, a stronger party, a modern party, and a more dynamic party," Borg said.
Borg outlined that the Nationalist Party must be renewed as an organisation, in the way it thinks as a party, and through its people. He clarified that in his vision for the party's renewal, the PN "will be a party with open doors to all who have good will." He added that he wants to have a political party that attracts the country's top talent, that serves as a home for all those who want their voices to be heard, and one that listens rather than simply pointing fingers.
"It gives me great responsibility for the next five years. Across this coming legislature, we must renew, we must unite, more than ever before, and continue modernising the PN to truly make it a winning party," Borg said.
The PN leader appealed to all those people who have abandoned the Nationalist Party - specifically those who voted for the PN once or twice and never again - that they will see "revolutionary change" in the party over the coming months, through which he promised that "we will attract more people to us than ever before."
During this speech, Borg told the PN representatives, councillors, volunteers, and employees present that the party doesn't just need them to grant votes for his approval, amid this General Council's record turnout, he pointed out, but it needs them to participate more.
"Imagine each and every one of you, every month, get one new person into the PN - think of where we will be [in five years' time]. Think of what we can accomplish together," Borg told his party representatives.
Alex Borg embraced his confirmation vote as PN leader by thanking everyone else within the party, thanking them for the enthusiasm they helped bring recently.
Borg said that in his desire to shape the PN to once again be a winning party, he is not focused on winning the next general election, but rather on building a new generation. He wants this responsibility to be carried by the shoulders of all elected PN representatives, including himself.
He called for them to continue talking and listening to people outside the PN, as, in his view, "the greatest mistake we could make would be thinking that everyone keeps up with politics outside these Dar Ċentrali's walls."
"We must remain grounded in what the people think. They are thinking about their bills, about buying property, about getting stuck in traffic daily, if they have a future in our country, and in their quality of life, health, education, environment, and peace of mind. These are the people's priorities, and in the next five years, these will be the PN's priorities," Borg said.
He added that "the people's trust is not just won through criticism, but by proposing and being constructive in its criticism."
Encouraged by this vote of confidence, Borg pledged that he will carry the responsibility, together with its elected officials, for the PN to not just be an effective Opposition, but an alternate government that is "ready to lead Malta and Gozo tomorrow."
"From this moment on, I am not just the PN leader, but the leader of every Maltese and Gozitan who believes that Malta and Gozo can be led better," he said.
He called for the Nationalist Party to learn from its mistakes, stating that a party cannot grow unless it does do.
"Let's learn from our mistakes and grow, evolve, modernise, and become more dynamic, [and] get closer to the people," Borg said.
The PN leader also thanked everyone present for sticking by the Nationalist Party, noting that "when others left and gave up, you kept believing in the PN's cause."
Borg envisions the PN's representatives to be more vocal within local communities across the legislature, and not just around election time.
He commented that the PN will be investing in modern technologies to improve its communications, including for its radio station in the works.
He concluded his speech by pledging that "as of tomorrow, I will be giving my everything to make this a winning party," and that he is determined to work harder than ever before following this strong vote of confidence.
"Through this confirmation, in this PN General Council, the party will come out stronger and more united. We will show that the PN is more ready than ever before to lead Malta and Gozo," Borg stated.
"This is just the start; we have a lot to do," he ended his speech.