More people believing in the PN, but a lot more work is needed – Borg

Nationalist Party leader Alex Borg said the PN's gains at the most recent general election show growing public confidence in the party but acknowledged that considerably more work lies ahead before it can win a majority. Speaking on NET TV on Sunday, Borg noted the PN increased its vote count by more than 13,000 compared to 2022, gained ground in every electoral district, won six outright, and returned to a majority in Gozo.

The governing Labour Party nonetheless outpolled the PN by 21,721 votes and held five more seats. "This election did not give us the result we wanted. But it gave us direction.

It gave us a lesson. It gave us a clear sign that the people are looking for a credible alternative," Borg said. He identified 44,706 eligible voters who stayed home and a further 6,039 who spoiled their ballots as a constituency the party must work harder to reach.

A post-election consultation process had already drawn feedback from more than 1,150 people by the time of the interview. "We are conscious that we still have a great deal of work to do to earn the trust of the majority of the Maltese and Gozitan people," he said. Borg announced plans to restore two Deputy Leader positions — one responsible for party affairs, the other dedicated to parliamentary work — a change he had pledged when he sought the leadership roughly eight months ago.

The PN last operated with two deputy leaders following a statute change after the 2013 election, when Beppe Fenech Adami and Mario de Marco were elected to those roles. David Agius and the late Robert Arrigo replaced them in 2017. After the 2022 election, with neither Agius nor Arrigo wishing to stay on, the party reverted to a single post.

Alex Perici Calascione ran unopposed for that position and has since won a parliamentary seat for the first time. The party has not yet announced candidates for the two new deputy leader posts. PN statute requires a leadership election whenever the party loses a general election.

Borg confirmed he will seek re-election as leader, and no challenger has yet come forward. Under party rules, a one-candidate race is decided by a confidence vote requiring only a simple majority. Borg said he has not yet settled on shadow cabinet appointments, as he is waiting for all MPs to be formally confirmed.

Casual elections for seats vacated by seven PN MPs who were returned in two districts are scheduled for Tuesday; only once those contests conclude will the six women who entered parliament via the gender-corrective mechanism receive formal confirmation. The current legislature includes 37 PN MPs, Borg among them. Borg opened the interview by paying tribute to former PN candidate Josephine Xuereb, who died recently after a long illness.

"I believe in the future of the Nationalist Party, I believe in the future of Malta, and I believe that if we remain humble, united and determined, we will get there. The election has passed, but our mission towards a better Malta and Gozo has only just begun," he said.