PN youths to face disciplinary action over call for removal of Delia

MZPN faces disciplinary action after calling for a change in leadership on Monday • Dissenting MPs show solidarity with youth wing

The Nationalist Party’s secretary-general Francis Zammit Dimech has announced that the PN’s youth branch will face disciplinary action over its call backing a change in the party’s leadership.

The MZPN said it was its duty to speak clearly on the need of a strong Opposition. “With determination and conviction, we need to bring the party back to its feet, so we can drive the party towards being an Opposition which truly serves as a shield for the people,” the youth wing said.

But in a statement on Tuesday, Zammit Dimech said the matter had been referred to the party’s ethics commission. “After the MZPN issued the statement and video, I communicated with the branch’s executive body to retract it, but this was not carried out,” the statement read.

READ ALSO: MZPN want Delia replaced, call for ‘honest and serious leadership’

The Malta Independent reported that not all MZPN members approved of the statement’s publication, with some speaking out on how it should have not been issued, Zammit Dimech issued an order for party branches and committees to not make public statements.

“As secretary general, I had issued a directive to the party’s branches, and sectional committees so that with collective collaboration, internal discussions on the party’s current situation are carried out internally,” Zammit Dimech said. “The communication was also sent to MZPN.”

Reacting to the incident, rebel MPs called out the PN leader for not assuming political responsibility. “In contrary to Adrian Delia, we want unity in the PN. We want people with ideas and different characters which come together towards making the PN a political force in our country,” they said in a statement.

“We don’t only offer solidarity and support to the PN’s youths, but we are publicly promising that once the current leadership changes, young people are at the party’s helm,” the statement read.

READ ALSO: PN at war with itself: ‘Great start for a wannabe,’ Arrigo hits out at Comodini Cachia