Claudio Grech: ‘Last thing PN needs is speculation about leadership change’

Nationalist MP Claudio Grech has issued a statement on his social media profile quelling suggestions he could be vying for the PN’s leadership. 

In a Facebook post, Grech, 44, paid tribute to embattled PN leader Adrian Delia, whose political life has been rattled by press reports on a request for separation by his wife Nickie Vella de Fremeaux. 

“The last thing the PN needs now is speculation about its leadership. The PN leader is Adrian Delia, who was elected in the most open and representative election of all time in the history of Maltese political parties. It is every MP’s duty to be part of the integral work of the party,” Grech said on Facebook. 

Despite his election to PN leader in 2017, outsider Adrian Delia has been unable to convincingly altar polls that put Labour and prime minister Joseph Muscat ahead by unprecedented margins.

“While I appreciate all those who believe in me, my decision on this matter was taken just over a year ago and I gave my reason,” Grech said of his decision not to pursue the leadership contest of 2017. 

“As I said back then, my priority in this legislature is to serve as the voice of my constituents, and to strengthen the PN’s policy framework to help the party evolve into an alternative government. 

“As any party leader I’ve had the privilege to work with can confirm, even the current leadership knows of my full contribution to work towards this aim, which I intend doing in full serenity right to my last day in politics,” Grech said. 

Grech is the PN’s spokesperson for the family and social policy, children and the unborn child, and was formerly an aide to the PN minister Austin Gatt before running for election in 2013.