Hermann Schiavone joins list of candidates supporting Adrian Delia for PN leader

Adrian Delia is the person that can win the Nationalist Party a general election through his “new way of doing politics”, according to newly-elected MP from the fifth district, Hermann Schiavone.

In a Facebook post uploaded on Saturday, Schiavonne said that “as a member of the party’s general council”, he would be voting for Delia because he represented that which the people wanted.

“Adrian Delia is the person that wants a new way of doing politics,” wrote Schiavone.

“This is what people want. He is the person that can win the election for the PN. As a party councillor, and because I love the party, I feel obliged to listen to what the people want and for this reason, I will be voting for Adrian to be one of the two candidates the party’s paid-up members must choose from.”

Despite his endorsement of Delia, Schiavone described Chris Said as a “friend who I have worked with as Secretary General.

“He is hard-working and did a lot of good work,” he said of Said.

Similarly, he said that former treasurer Alex Perici Calascione had “brought the party on its feet financially”, adding that Frank Portelli also had a lot to offer.

Ultimately, said Schiavone, he would respect party members’ decision, promising “absolute loyalty” to whoever is elected leader.

Schiavone joins MPs Clyde Puli, Kristy Debono and Jean Pierre Debono, as well as Malta Independent head of content Pierre Portelli in supporting Delia’s candidature. MP Mario Galea is also said to be supporting Delia.

On the other hand, Said, a PN MP since 2008 and a former Secretary General, has rallied a sizeable number of the PN parliamentary group, including Mario de Marco, Beppe Fenech Adami, Jason Azzopardi, Frederick Azzopardi, Stephen Spiteri, Robert Cutajar, Karl Gouder and David Stellini.

Claudio Grech and Claudette Buttigieg are also said to be supporting Said’s bid, while MEP David Casa has also announced his support for the Gozitan MP, as has Valletta mayor Alexi Dingli, who officially declared his support for Said at an AZAD activity. 

Toni Bezzina is so for the only MP known to be backing Perici Calascione, while there has been no public support so far for Portelli’s controversial platform.