Debates to go ahead in spite of Frank Protelli defining them as ‘crazy’
● Delia tells MPs not to endorse him publicly ● MPs should be allowed to publicly endorse candidates Said
TV debates among the contestants for the Nationalist Party leadership post will still go on in spite of one of the contenders defining them as ‘crazy’.
Frank Portelli, one of the four contestants for the Nationalist Party leadership, criticised the idea of having two debates planned to be broadcast on Net TV in the run-up to the election.
Writing on Facebook, Portelli said it was “crazy” that the party had come up with the idea for the “contestants to fight it out” on TV.
But a spokesman for the PN said that the debates will go ahead as scheduled in spite of the criticism. All contestants have been invited to take part and Frank Portelli is free to take part, the spokesman said.
The party plans to air the debates on 24 and 31 August.
Councillors will be voting in the first phase of the election on 2 September, choosing two of the four candidates. The next phase, in which all party members will vote, is scheduled for 16 September.
On Sunday, Adrian Delia, another leadership contender, appealed for party unity as the Nationalist Party approaches its election for a new leader.
“I want to see a united parliamentary group and party as from now and not after you vote me in as leader,” Delia said. The call came in the wake of a shocking public declaration by PN MP Mario Galea, who said that outgoing leader Simon Busuttil had adopted authoritarian tactics.
Delia also asked MPs and officials who were preparing to announce their endorsement of his candidacy to take a step back and offer their support in silence.
Delia said he had taken this decision so as not to give the PN’s political adversaries more fodder against the PN. There is a wave in favour of a new way, he said, but there is a need for a silent revolution for the party to win again.
In a statement yesterday, Chris Said also appealed for unity within the party.
He invited the other contenders to a social activity for which party activists would be invited. “No political discussion. Let us come together as one family.”
Said said the PN needs to be a united party after 16 September and said he would use his political experience to make sure everyone came together as one family.
He said MPs should be free to make their own decision without having anything imposed on them. The Gozitan MP said he had given full liberty to those MPs who wanted to endorse him publicly.
On the other hand, those who choose to act differently would also find his support as party leader.