BREAKING Presidential pardon to be granted to illegal beneficiaries of Silvio Grixti disability benefits racket

Gonzi corners Debono and calls for fresh leadership contest

PN leader Lawrence Gonzi calls for a leadership contest which he will contest. He says 'This is not a resignation'.

29 January 2012, 12:00am
by Jurgen Balzan

3 min read

Lawrence Gonzi has asked PN councillors to vote in a secret ballot to either reconfirm him as leader or choose a new leader. (Photo: Ray Attard/Mediatoday)

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Nationalist party leader and Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi confirmed that he has asked the party's president Paula Mifsud Bonnici to open the process for a new party leadership contest. Gonzi said this during a press conference held right after his speech at the extraordinary general council held this morning.

This is a clear move to corner Franco Debono, who abstained during Thursday's vote of no-confidence in Parliament and delay a possible early election by at least another two months. Gonzi said "I assume full responsibility as Prime Minister and as party leader. It is not enough for me to win the party's backing by a simple acclamation. I turn to the party councillors who elected me as leader eight years ago and open the process for an open leadership contest which I will contest."

Gonzi explained that the contest will be held by a secret ballot. He confirmed that the ballot would be held even if there were no candidates other than himself. "If the party councillors elect a new leader, I will guarantee my full backing. However, if I am re-confirmed as leader I will ensure that government serves its full legislature and implements its electoral mandate."

Asked whether this is effectively a resignation, Gonzi said "I have not resigned. I will still carry out my duties as Prime Minister. As party leader I have asked the party councillors to scrutinise my leadership. It will be an open contest and whoever was critical of my leadership can freely contest the leadership contest."

He also explained that this was not the right time for the country to face an early election, however he was ready to assume his responsibility and if there in no other option an early election would be called.

"(Franco) Debono has given his reasons for his abstention and I have heard every single word that was said. In the light of his call to shoulder responsibility I gave every word he said its due importance."

He explained that his request to open the process for a new party leadership contest means that the PN will elect an electoral commission in the coming days, which will then receive nominations for the leadership contest and subsequently hold an election. He said this process can take up to two months to be completed.

Gonzi said that if he is confirmed leader, he expects, everyone including Franco Debono to respect the will of the party's councillors and abide by the democratic decision the party takes.

On Franco Debono, the PN leader said that he has not had any direct contact with the rebel MP since last Sunday, however the two were in contact through third persons. Asked about Debono's critisicim and calls for ministers to shoulder responsibility Gonzi said "None of what Franco Debono said in Parliament is taboo. However, the buck stops with me, and I shoulder responsibility for all decisions, including ministerial appointments and the composition of the Cabinet."

Gonzi also explained that the PN councillors were not given any space to talk during the extraordinary council meeting because "the councillors will make their voice heard through their secret vote."

The press conference was attended by many ministers and MPs.Notable absentees were rebel MPs Franco Debono, Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando and Jesmond Mugliett. Before the press conference started the Head of Government Communications, Gordon Pisani was seen coordinating proceedings with the Nationalist party's own director of information, Frank Psaila.

Jurgen Balzan was a MaltaToday reported from 2011 to 2017.

More from Jurgen Balzan

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I don't understand the logic behind the title. Parliament is in crisis not the PN.

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Gonzi has a problem with FD since the latter does not want to recognise his leadership to as far as asking him to resign from PM. FD has resigned from the party and therefore is not bound to recognise the leader of a union he is not part of. This leadership election gimmick is bound to fail dramatically in that it is a blatant diversion from where the real problem lies. Even in the likely event that Gonzi’s leadership is supported by 100% of Council, Gonzi will still have to face FD albeit in a different battleground where the rules of engaement are different from party rules. It’s like an emperor ruling the castle but never daring out beyond the drawbridge knowing the territory is controlled by someone else. Gonzi has one option. Instead of deluding himself of how much his subjects support him in the safety of his castle he has to go out in the battlefield and face his dissident in the right battlefield under different rules of engagement. It is pointless for Gonzi and his cronies to try to impress us of how great he is as a party leader. If anything it will only impress the diehards in the safety of their castle as they are the gullible ones. Others who are not so gullible but live outside the castle are waiting for the Emperor to come out and face battle where it should really be fought according to the territory’s rule of battle. Unless obviously the Emperor is naked and would not dare come out without any clothes on. Who is cornered now?

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gonzipn, int bzajt thalli imqar kunsillier wiehed jitkellem li ma tmurx issib xi wiehed imqar ibezbizilek xi ftit, ahseb u ara kemm tmur ghand il poplu ghal VOT.

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@franco---I heard he is a PROFESSOR of some sort only God knows what. So Antwa is above everybody, Did you not know. lol. He is really just a fool somewhat like the one in Lear...now go find nuncle!!LOL.

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Who cornered who? Mr. Balzan as a political pundit you have a lot learn. The situation elementary. You should have title the article. Gonzi starts the ferries wheel. Or better still the panto. 99.9% he will contest alone. He is the only contender and going to keep his post as leader of the party. 99.9% he will have a landslide result. Bravo Gonzi. But after the dust has settled, I ask,will Dr.Debono go back on his word and support Gonzi in Parliament

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If there is no resignation , who is going to contest for leadership knowing that he will be looked upon as an accomplice of Dr Franco Debono . This is just another farce like the series of " Carry On " films , with the title of " Carry On Gonzi Style Leadership " .

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Mr Gonzi, if you put the country in all this mess, I believe that someone would be crazy to be in your position as a PN Leader ??? Maybe Austin Gatt ? I think you will remain as a leader, at least finish the 'Gonzi Pie' you have started.

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Joseph Catania •

Parlament farsa - politika amatorjali tal-misthija.

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@franco. If anything, being a gentleman has absolutely no weight in today's politics. Dr Sant may have been a gentleman but his political acumen has let him down over and over again. In fact he was the reason why the PL won the last election in the first place when the PL practically had it in the bag. A person who had already lost an election, botched the EU referendum and had to give up his seat as party leader, should have never contested yet another election as a party leader to satisfy the whims of the PL hardcore. So when you are speaking of talents and comparisons, suggest you let the past rest.

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Gonzi corners Debono: Mela mhux hekk, Gonzi diga qala' wahda sewwa u salva biss bil-qanpiena, issa se jipprova strategija (farsa)ohra, ser issir ezezzjoni ghal xi haga qeghda hemm ghax l-gharef Gonzi ma rrezinjax minn kap. Seta kieku ried jirrezinja minn kap tal-partit u jibqa Prim Ministru sa kemm issir elezzjoni imma le baqa' kap ukoll u dan biex hadd zgur ma jikkontestah, insomma habet sewwa li gej il-karnival ghax bhalissa fil-PN karnival shih qed isir. U lil Debono hadd ma tefghu f'kantuniera (jixtiequ ta') ahseb u ara Gonzi. S'issa la Gonzi u l-inqas hadd mill-ministri ghadu ma ghamel dak li jirid jara Dr. Debono biex veru juri li huma rgiel, hadd ma rrizenja u meta tirrizenja tfisser li tghid bye, bye lil postok darba ghal dejjem u mhux taghmel U turn kbira. Kuragg Dr. Debono u zomm sod ghax fl-ahhar inti sert tkunli tirbah zgur f'din il-kwistjoni.

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@franco I tend to disagree. Dr Gonzi's antics could be easily turned into a manual entitled: "How to lose friends and alienate people".

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"Ara Manu, kemm ili ma narah, miskin. I did tell you there would be no March elections, Manu but you and your Mintoffian chums ridiculed me. You should pay more attention to your betters." by antoin vella. Only goes to show that even gonzipn minions , elves and goblins have become so ARROGANT. Who's better are you antoin?

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"Gonzi said that if he is confirmed leader, he expects, everyone including Franco Debono to respect the will of the party's councillors and abide by the democratic decision the party takes." ......... but Franco is no longer a party member mr gonzi, are you so thick that you cannot get this simple fact into your head?

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Someone commented why gonzi does not act like the gentleman Dr Alfred Sant was and call elections.For one thing gonzi has no talents at all unlike Dr Sant he cannot write books and his only way to get along is to have somebody employ him as a chairman like he did in the past.

Zack Depasquale •

This is the Pantomine that GonziPN has become. Dr Gonzi has to understand that he is Primeminister first and GonziPN leader second. Whatever happens at the GonziPN general council is of no consequence to the nation, because Malta is not run from Pieta or GonziPN council, only countries like Iraq under Saddam Hussein,Gaddafi's Libya or Hitler's Germany were administered from Party HQ. Malta is run by a supposed democratic parliament, Dr Gonzi has to make sure that he has a majority in parliament not in his GonziPN party.I believe that genuine Nationalists are ashamed of what their once glorious Party has become.Malta cant wait for a primminister who hasnt governed the country for a whole day for at least the past month.

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nahseb it-titlu ma jaghmilx sens. "Debono cornered Gonzi" ikun ahjar !! Din hija farsa li qed tiredikola l-istorja politika ta' pajjiżna.!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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So what? Whether contested or not, whether he remains at the helm of his party or not, is of little importance at the moment. What is important, but the PM is refusing to acknowledge, is the fact that his numbers in parliament do not add up. To many this PM is in total denial. Is this truly in the interest of our country and its stability? The mind boggles.

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The PN always had the better political manoeuvring than the PL but although this PR move is seemingly brilliant, it is also fundamentally flawed. After the close shave, the PM is obviously trying to retrench and steer attention from the sombre situation in Parliament. That is why he is sticking to safe ground and calling for an endorsement of his authority....in a secret ballot, of course and restricted to his staunchest supporters. In reality this doesn’t change PM and the PN’s position one little bit and this show of strength will only serve as an intimidation of the internal opponents of his regime. Instead of attempting to resolve the unrest within the Party, this PM is firmly in a collision course with his antagonists, which will only harden the fronts even further. If there was any proof needed that this PM strings are firmly in the hands of a priviledged clique, this is it. One thing for sure though, the outcome will be messy.

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This Gonzi election is just a gimmick. Debono has never said that he wanted to be the leader of the PN. My guess is that this is aimed at someone else perhaps Dalli? This election will have one candidate and that candidate will get 99.99% of the vote.

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@daniel----YES, BUT LIKE NERO DID HE WRITE THEM...NO!! NOT EVEN NERO'S TALENT!!

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Sur Prim Ministru taf li-dan il-Kunsill Generali kien l-uniku Kunsill minghajr titlu jew isem, taf li ammettejt li ghamilt sarima mal Kunsilliri biex hadd ma jitkellem u kellek il-wicc li wara sghatejn ta’ ftahir hrigt bi proposta l-aktar assurda li issa qed titlob lill lis-stess Kunsilliera biex jivvutawlek fl-elezzjoni finta biex jikkonfermawk Kap tal-Partit u dan ser iwassal biex titlef aktar voti fl-elezzjoni li gejja tigi meta tigi u ghaldaqstant anke l-injurant jifhem li-dan kien biss ezercizzju biex ittawwal il-perjodu qasir li baqalek bhala Prim Ministru u Kap tal-Partit. U x’alternattivi tajt ghal din l-elezzjoni finta ‘xejn’ ghax jekk ma jkunx hemm min jikkontestak u li jkollu jgib id-due terzi tal-voti inti ser tibqa l-Kap….dik elezzjoni hux!!!!! Mhux ahjar li f’din l-elezzjoni tlabt wkoll biex jikkonfermaw jew le lill Franco Debono!!! Nispera li wara din l-elezzjoni finta tikkonsidra l-voti kontra, l-astenssjonijiet u dawk li ma jivvutawx u ma tghamilx lis-stess kif ghamilt fil-Parlament li l-astensjoni ta’ Franco dawwarta li m’ghaditx il-mozzjoni ta’ sfiducja……mhux ghalek ma kellekx il-‘guts’ li titlob ghal vot ta’ fiducja….aw trid tirringrazzja lill kap ta’ l-Oppozizzjoni li ghamillek forcina u serrhek wahda sew. U fejn huma dawk li jistghu jikkontestawk mhux warrabtom mis-saqajn ,fejn huma dawk in-Nazzjonalisti li vera belghu l-gass tad-dmugh u li qalaw ix-xebat taht l-SAG. Dur dawra mad-deputati tieghek u ma ssib lill had hlief lill Austin Gatt (Gakketta Blue) li ghandu kollox hlief karizma wiehed mil-ftit Nazzjonalisti ta’ veru li baqa, fejn huma in-Nazzjonalisti bhal Joihn Dalli u Louis Galea u mhux tghajjar lill Partit Laburista li ghad ghandu lill Debono Grech u ohrajn dawk huma l-Laburisti ta’ veru. F’dawn ic-cirkustanzi minn flok titlob biex tigi kkonfermat ghandek tkellem lill Eddie Fenech Adami u tatih lura x-xettru li tak biex ilhaqt Kap biex ikun jista’ jibqa jmexxi sa l-ahhar ta’ din il-legislatura u jkun jista’ jsib Kap gdid bhal ma kien sab lilek ghax hekk biss il-PN jersaq vicin il-PL fl-elezzjoni li tmiss tigi meta tigi

Mario Pace •

I think the heading to this article is incorrect. Franco Debono cornered Dr.Gonzi. This is only time abiding excersice. Dr.Debono stated more than once that the PM should resign and he went even further declaring that other Ministers should resign. If the PM wanted to clear this thing he should have gone to parlament again and tried to get a vote of confidence as he did in the motion against Minister Gatt!!!!!!!!!

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Loghba CHESS, loghba tal hin, loghba karti, loghba bil pajjiz, loghba bil poplu. Min qalilkom li ha jnehhu lil gonzi minn mexxej? Kieku ghandu xi dubju mhux ha jaghmel hekk. Partit u gvern dejjem dienu haga wahda. Insomma jigri x jigri, u tigi meta tige l elezzjoni, f lahhar il poplu juddecidi. Jekk kuntent b dan il gvern jerga jtellghu, jekk le, iwarbu. Semplici hux ???

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Emanuel Cini I think a good song for Gonzi is Yesterday man, Or maybe Spiru Gonzi L-gharef, how about I wonder who's kissing me now?or The great pretender.

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bankrupt malta...Maturita politika titlob li tinnota r-rivali x qed jaghmlu u ma thallihomx idahhluk fi sqaq bhalma ghamlu meta dahhluna fl-EU. Kieku ma kienetx il-kwistjoni tal-EU ilPN ma kienx jirbah u l-ahhar elezzjoni gara bhal tal-fenek u l-fekruna filli il-PL kienb quddiem u raqad u hekk regghu rebhu b'elf vot. It-tigrija sal-barkun u jekk ma hux ser joqghod attent ser jigru b'kulhadd. mela ma rajtux lil franco l-ewwel qal li jivvota mal-oppozizzjoni imbaghad rega lura u joseph qed jghid rebah. Tirbah joseph meta tigi l-elezzjoni u jkollok imqar vot wiehed izjed minn nazzjonalisti.

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I'm sure this journalist with all his wisdom can explain to us how, exactly, is Debono "cornered".

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@sihbi bejn il linji.... dik tisejah maturita politika , fejn il hazin nejdulu hazin ghamlu min ghamlu u it tajeb l istess. hadd ma hu perfett sihbi

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Same PM = same hung parliament. Why are we dragging this out. Not an ideal time for an election (?) - certainly not a time for uncertainty. At least 2 backbenchers have indirectly stated this. We are not blind.

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When this scenario repeats itself, will the PM repeat the process. We need a PM who can focus on the matters at hand.

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@ Antwa---1 MANU to friends and as you are not one EMANUEL. 2 MISKIN--Why precisely? 3---Are you blind as well as dumb? I post daily. 4---You my better? That is the biggest laugh after the idiotic idea that there will not be early elections. How so? There will be this year at some point and earlier than the summer. Lastly; get 2 brain cells and rub them together till they fuse as one, then swallow and do a hand stand and stay that way, hoping it will go to your thick Nationalist and full of delusional airs and graces skull.

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Ghada gonzi jghid lil dawk ta brussels:jien il prim ta malta u dawk isaqsuh;int dak lil ma ghandex il maggoranza? x'misthija ta bniedem.par idejn sodi.hahahaha

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Xena patetika daqs dik li rajna fuq in-NET dalghodu waqt il-press conference ta' gonzipn ilna zmien twil ma naraw. Fuq naha il-Ministru Tonio Borg li ftit ilu qal li meta kien responsabbli mill-habs ma kienx jaf li mifqugh bid-droga (miskin) meta c-chairman tal-prisons board ftit jiem wara qal fuq it-times li hu stess kien mar jghidlu !!!! Fuq in-naha l-ohra rajna lil pawlu borg olivier, bniedem iehor sfiducjat minn gonzipn innifsu meta warrbu u pogga biex ikunu responsabbli mill-elezzjoni lil wistin gatt, lill-kardinal RCC u lil joe saliba, il-filosofu/bennej/rikkieb tal-yachts mill-mosta. Fin-nofs kien hemm gonzipn, sfiducjat quddiem malta kollha ghal dawn l-ahhar gimghat minn franco debono u sfiducjat aktar fl-imghoddi minn john dalli, pullicino orlando, mugliette, arrigo u jean pierre farrugia. Haga wahda biss kellu tajba gonzipn -- ghall-inqas ma poggix sieq fuq ohra bhal dak li dilku biex isir prim ministru !!!!!

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Jekk Joseph ma hux ser joqghod attent anke l-elezzjoni jitlef....dawn tajbin u kollox bizzilla... kompli itlef xi vot billi biex tidher bravu tghid li l MLP tal=1981 ghamlu zball u messhom hallew lil oppozzizzjoni illegali tigverna u tkompli taghmel il hsara lil malta... QED juri par idejn sodi meta int imdawwar minn qabda ex/nazzjonlisti

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lol.x misthija

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This shows that Dr Gonzi is asking for more time to try and unite PN for the election because he knows that PN are doing very bad in the polls and he is responsible for all that because of his actions

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Democracy my foot,this is our country not PN OR PL. dONT lose more time, and we are not interested in your conscience. All you have to do is give what you promised to F.Debono and you can stay were you are.This is not the right time for an early election.

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Can anyone from GonziPN tell us if Dr.Franco debono resigned or not from the party? If NO, then can give a reason or two why! If YES, they shouldn't include Dr.Franco Debono in party affairs anymore, I think that this is all a fine tuned move to distract the Maltese people. If the prime minister really believes in DEMOCRACY and he truly believes that he has run the country in an excellent way during the last 4 years, then he should be confident to have the Maltese people behind him, and therefore call a general election. But since GonziPN is doing the utmost to avoid general elections, for many unsustained reasons, it is very clear that GonziPN has failed in all aspects, except HYPOCRICY!

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Ara Manu, kemm ili ma narah, miskin. I did tell you there would be no March elections, Manu but you and your Mintoffian chums ridiculed me. You should pay more attention to your betters.

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Well I listened to Gonzi today. He played his card well. Take me or leave me he said clearly to all the organs of the party. A secret ballot, which unfortunately the PN had not yet the guts to extend to all the PN paid up members. Gonzi himself said it is an issue of leadership, but the PN will not dare introduced the system now, as the MLP failed to introduced it when they were to appoint a new leader in 2007. Power to the few, not at least to the members. And what will be the attitude of the PN Mps now..after all those comments, starting from Franco Debono onwards. Had Franco gone to Canossa? Had he a good cry on Gonzi's shoulder and told him: I love you, I love you and where you go I follow? Once Gonzi is approved leader, Debono will knee down and incense him, especially if there is a secret compromise that Gonzi will please him for the rest of the legislature? I am a Labourite but will not care a hoot, if Gonzi remains in power till the end of the legislature. Let him continue with his big successes (sic!!??) and captain the ship through the big storm that will be hitting Europe in the coming months. Joseph Muscat is being ill advised. He should sit pretty and wait till the appropriate time of the general elections, March/May 2013. Let Gonzi be happy, after all he is not seeing any instability in finance and economics, maybe just a touch of uncertainity within his party. But the vote of the General Council of the PN will boost him on. Labourites do not despair..wait patiently and then let us see what the people want. Gonzi thinks the electorate is such a fool that will be trading where angels fear to tread, and will elect the PN Government once more, IN THE BEST INTEREST OF MALTA!!!??? Or he is blindfolded and driving straight into the wall like Dr. Alfred Sant did in 1998. Gonzi did say one thing that carry some weight to the Labour Party, renew, remove those old faces. From the rest his speech was bullshit and twisted the political history of Malta to his liking with no qualms that Gonzi knows what the word facts means....he was short of memory of the sixties etc, the malta burning campaign and the biggest lie was that the Labour Party Government was not legitimate in 1981, when the Constitution said so. Gonzi even forgot that in 1971, when Dom Mintoff won on the rules laid down by the same Constitution, the PN tried to bribe two of his deputies to cross the floor. That's the democracy the PN believes in and how really for them Malta is first and foremost. Shame on you, Lawrence Gonzi.

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Why is Franco Debono 'cornered' ? I think that it is FD who cornered Gonzi and his klikka!

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Why is Franco Debono 'cornered' ? I think that it is FD who cornered Gonzi and his klikka!

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''Gonzi said it was his constitutional duty to keep governing the country as long as he enjoys the trust of the members of the PN's General Council''. What has the PN's General Council to do with who runs the country? Seeing Assad, Mubarek, Gaddafi, etc all on TV, these clearly had the full backing of their party. Doesn't mean that Gonzi is like them. No way, allihares. But surely you can't judge the backing of your countrymen by asking your own party faithful......

anna calleja •

Most probably the majority of councilors would confirm Gonzi as PN Leader. I sincerely do not understand what Gonzi , the PN or Malta would have gained by this move; perhaps Gonzi's strategists advised him that stretching the problem for another two months is worth the trouble! Gonzi would still be faced with the same problems in parliament even if he gets an impressive majority vote from within the PN Council. If Gonzi really meant to test his popularity and standing within the PN, to start with, he should have held a secret ballot asking the councilors whether they wanted him to stay or relinquish his leadership for the good of the party. In this way the councilors would feel free to show whether it was time for Gonzi to move on or not. In my opinion Gonzi is an excellent communicator and has great merit in the achievements during the last four years, but the groundswell against his style of leadership within the PN and much more so amongst the uncommitted voters is becoming more evident. Many sincerely believe that his minuses have surpassed his pluses! The outcome of such a test would indicate whether Gonzi should step aside or not. If he does on the level of negative votes he gets, then and only then should the PN hold a secret leadership context. Then those who aspire to lead the PN would feel free to come forward and not feel embarrassed to contest the present leader who after all might have been instrumental in their advancement within the part; I have in mind Tonio Fenech, Mario Demarco, Simon Busuttil etc. How could any one of these compete for the leadership if their present leader and mentor is also a contestant! So with Gonzi’s present proposal, the most likely scenario is that he will sail through the secret ballot, gets hell in parliament from his own backbenches, goes to the general elections at the latest after summer, gets beaten hands down due to his gross lack of human resources management (etc…) and would have to resign his party leadership by the end of the year. GREAT! Fantastic personal achievement. The only positive outcome would be that he would have given the party a few more months to prepare for the election! The negative outcome of this could be that more and more electors would see this as an arrogant and insensitive stance vis a vis the electorate and the country. Gonzi, it’s hard, but consider the alternative of relinquishing the leadership NOW; let the best prospective contestants fight it out for the leadership; as only in this way, with a new bright leader, would the PN have a good hope of winning another term.

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Comrade Gonzi has spoken. He does NOT recognise what happens in Parliament but only what the PN Council in Pieta' decides . If this is not a shameful declaration that Malta is becoming a dictatorship, i dont know what is. Our comfort that we have a democratic parliament to safeguard the citizens interests has just been shattered by Dr Gonzi stating that it is what tal- Pieta' decides which matters, not our Parliament. Where is the President? Is he only around as a fund raiser ? What happening to his role as defender of the constitution? We surely need the guy now. Where are you President Abela ??? Democracy needs you.

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Lawrence Gonzi has asked PN councillors to vote in a secret ballot to either reconfirm him as leader or choose a new leader - That is the right and democratic way gonzi can do in these circumstances. if gonzi is re-elected leader of the pn he will wait for debono's reaction in parliament and then take the necessary decisions.

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Kummidja wahda wara l'ohra, jien ma nistax nifhem imma l-Poplu ma jindunax? Tinsewx hbieb tieghi li ftit taz-zmien hilu dan ivvota kontra r-rieda tal-poplu (Referendum devorzju)

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Dear Franco, Gonzi has no intentions of presenting the money bills. His intention is as you said to gain time for a future election. So in my opinion there is only one thing left, call a confidence motion of the government and this time vote with the opposition. This is the only way forward. This of course if you really love your country.

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Kellu bzonn dan Gonzipn ragel daqs Dr Alfred Sant u jwarrab minn hemm. il-pajjiz ma' jiflahx ghall stennijja bla bzonn meta jkun fi krizi izda rridu nkomplu nimxu l-quddiem bil-barka tal-poplu. Inutli jkompli bil-hrejjef, il-poplu 'ddejjaq jara pupazz u klikkapn. Ahna gid u xoghol irridu naraw u mhux tejatrini, xenxilli w zigarelli.

Luke Camilleri •

And why not a SECRET VOTE IN PARLAMENT, when he had the choice ? Another PATHETHIC attempt to cling to power, offering a choice that is no choice at all, a Hobson's Choice! Who are you trying to kid , Mr. Prime Minister, yourself?

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Dr Gonzi jien qed nifhem sew. Jigifieri elezzjoni bhalissa mhux loka ghax hawn hafna krizijiet u shab iswed madwarna. Issa jekk lilek itajruk minn kap tal-partit u minn prim ministru, u jkun hemm xi hadd f'postok gdid, hekk ikun sew ghal-pajjiz? Min jibdlek ikun kapaci li jmexxi lil Malta fil-maltemp? Nahseb li tghid iva, ghax ga la darba jkun mill-PN dan se jkun superman zgur.

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By the way, why did Gonzi wait for the press conference to announce his resignation and leadership contest when he could very well have announced it during his closing speech at the Kunsill Generali? And two other queries: Gonzi would not understand that he should ask a vote of confidence in the House of Representatives not in the PN. And how could he force Franco Debono to toe the party line? Gonzi, as an ex-Speaker, should know that, once an MP enters the House, he can choose to vote according to his conscience, without any obligation to any party.

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@ Emanuel Cini. The Titanic theme song should be adopted by Gonzi.

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Politikament gonzi spiccut, u bhall bniedem li qed jghereq f nofs ocean qed jipprova jaqbad ma kull tibna li isibbiex forsi isalva.

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Can Jurgen Balzan please explain why Gonzi has cornered Franco ?...Because the way I see it is that Gonzi is holding ransom the whole country !

Anette B Cassar •

@Emmanuel Cini: Speedy Gonzalez comes to mind. Or may be as a parody of Fonzi given how well the country allegedly is doing, how about Happy Days?

Luke Camilleri •

Il min irrid jikkonvinci lill partit, Lill pajjiz jew lillu in-nifsu? Dan ta min jiehdu bis-serjeta?

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WOW!!! The confidence Nationalists have in Gonzi. Go see debate on who would be a good substitute for Gonzi on the TOM. Incredible how treacherous these people are...lol

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Kieku ghal-gimmicks hadd ma jirbahlu l'boy ! l-uniku vot sigriet li jaghmel sens fis-sitwazzjoni tal-lum huwa l-vot sigriet tal-votanti Maltin u Ghawdxin kollha f'elezzjoni generali ! U billi anki l-gurnali li jappoggjawh, bhat-Times u l-Independent, qed jghidulu biex isejjeh elezzjoni, allura taparsi qed jipproponi elezzjoni sigrieta fost il-kunsilliera nazzjonalisti BISS !Nahseb li b'din il-mossa qed jahseb li jisfida lil-Franco Debono, ghax taparsi hu lest li jirrizenja IMMA JEKK JGHIDULU L-MAGGORANZA TALL-KUNSILLIERA U MHUX FRANCO DEBONO ! U sadanittant, dawk "TAL-KLIKKA TAL-HAZEN" JIBQGHU FJN HUMA ghax mhux se jistaqsi jekk il-kunsilliera jriduhomx jirrizenjaw jew le, kif talab Franco Debono!

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Nero did not play the fiddle as Rome burned, but the LYRE!!!! No fiddles existed at the time. Ah and he sang his own songs. Does Gonzi have any songs, anybody...?

Joseph Sant •

@franco. I think the answer is simple - Gonzi has no intention of moving the money bills any time during the coming two months. I suggest we all sit back, bring out the popcorn again and just watch. If Gonzi wants to go on playing the fiddle while Rome burns that is his problem. Just sit back and enjoy!

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franco you are right. Dr Gonzi only wants to lengthen his time as much as possible to speed up the exercise of the power of incumbency. If Dr Gonzi is not a CHICKEN he would call a general election not a meeting of his party council. His arrogance has become unlimited and unbearable. As the saying goes, Quem deus vult perdere, dementat prius.

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"Gonzi said that if he is confirmed leader, he expects, everyone including Franco Debono to respect the will of the party's councillors and abide by the decision the party takes.".......Again gonzi shows the arrogance that has overtaken him. If Franco Debono has said that he longer forms part of gonzipn and will not support gonzi under no circumstances how can gonzi make such a staement? gonzi says it will take two months for an electoral commission to prepare a leadership contest, in the mean time there are two money laws to be discussed what does gonzi expect of Franco about these?