PN national convention kicks off

The Nationalist Party’s national convention got underway on Saturday morning at the Excelsior Hotel in Floriana, with five thematic workshops held throughout the day in Malta and a sixth session scheduled for this evening in Gozo.

Opening the two-day event under the theme Malta ’l Quddiem, PN leader Alex Borg called on the public to join the party in building “a bridge between vision and action”, insisting that politics must move “from the people to the people”.

Borg said the convention aims to produce a policy framework that genuinely moves Malta forward, guided by the values of respect, courage and hope. He stressed that the process was not an exercise in rhetoric but a serious effort in listening and collective policy-building involving individuals, communities, businesses, voluntary organisations and trade unions.

“Trust is built on facts and responsibility, not on empty promises,” Borg told delegates, adding that the PN intends to contest the next general election as a government-in-waiting with credible proposals and a coherent programme.

The convention will culminate on Sunday with a plenary session during which rapporteurs will present the conclusions of each workshop, followed by a panel discussion on the economy and a closing address by Borg. International guests are also expected to address the gathering.

Six pillars for Malta’s future

In his address, PN General Council president Mark Anthony Sammut said the convention forms part of a wider consultation process that began months ago through meetings with constituted bodies, NGOs and other organisations.

He said the party has identified six pillars on which it intends to build its vision for the coming years, with the aim of translating ideas gathered through dialogue into concrete proposals.

Convention chairperson George Vital Zammit described the event as a “laboratory of imagination”, warning that demographic, economic, environmental and technological pressures require bold but responsible decisions.

“When a party stops listening, it becomes an echo of itself,” he said.

Workshops across Malta and Gozo

Five workshops were held simultaneously at the Excelsior on Saturday morning.

The first, ‘Malta as we know it – a Malta where people live well’, focused on quality of life, sustainable population growth, traffic management and environmental protection. It was led by engineer Chris Ciantar, with architect David Xuereb serving as rapporteur.

A second workshop, ‘Prosperity that truly reaches everyone’, addressed cost-of-living pressures, wages and productivity, investment, competitiveness and work-life balance. It was led by Kristian Farrugia, with Hilary Galea Lauri as rapporteur.

The third session, ‘Strong communities’, centred on localities, planning quality, solidarity and the role of local councils. It was led by Sam Abela, with Jacques Borg Barthet acting as rapporteur.

In ‘A government that takes care of you’, participants discussed governance, education and healthcare, with Mark Formosa leading the discussion and Louise Bonnici serving as rapporteur.

The fifth Malta-based workshop, ‘Malta ready for tomorrow’, explored education reform, AI and data literacy, sport, culture and tourism as pillars of cohesion and identity. It was led by Janice Darmanin, with Angele Pulis as rapporteur.

A sixth workshop will take place this evening at the Kempinski Hotel San Lawrenz, focusing on Gozo’s role within the national vision. The session, led by Maria Portelli with Daniel Borg as rapporteur, will examine accessibility, connectivity and development that respects the island’s identity and scale.

Sunday plenary and international guests

On Sunday, rapporteurs will present a synthesis of the discussions before a panel debate on the economy moderated by Newsbook Malta and RTK103 editor Matthew Xuereb. Panellists will include Marisa Xuereb, Roberta Lepre, Abigail Agius Mamo and Arthur Galea Salomone.

The convention will also be addressed by international guests, including Mikulas Dzurinda, president of the Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies, and Dolors Montserrat, Secretary General of the European People’s Party.