PN leadership race kicks off on 20 June

Nationalist Party leader Alex Borg will be confirmed or contested in a process that kicks off on 20 June, the party executive decided on Thursday.

The executive committee said the process to appoint the party leader would kick off with a general council on Saturday 20 June.

The PN statute states that after a general election, if the party is in Opposition, the executive must convene the general council to initiate the process for the election of a leader. The general council must be convened within three months of the official publication of the general election result to discuss the electoral result.

Borg has already indicated that he would like to stay on as leader and it’s very unlikely he will be contested. Nonetheless, he would still require a vote of confirmation.

In the event of a one-horse race, a secret vote would take place among party councillors only and not members. In the aftermath of the 2022 general election, then leader Bernard Grech had decided to stay on as leader and was uncontested. He went on to obtain 81% support among party councillors.

A statement communicated to the media late on Thursday, stated that the executive decided the general council should be held after the party’s regional assemblies meet to discuss the election result.

A report on the outcome from these assemblies will be presented to party councillors in the general council by the PN President for Political Research Mary Anne Lauri.

During the council, speeches will also be delivered by the President of the General Council Mark Anthony Sammut, PN General Secretary Charles Bonello, Deputy Leader Alex Perici Calascione and PN Leader Alex Borg.

The statement said the general council will then entrust the PN’s Electoral, Records and Data Commission with the process for the appointment of the party leader.

The executive also approved the regulations under which the leadership election will be conducted.