After the farce on Sunday, the ball is in Franco Debono’s court

This was not a mise-en-scène - it was a veritable farce. Lawrence Gonzi cannot fool everyone. 

Yesterday's eulogy for the leader is best forgotten. Secretary-General Paul Borg Olivier's speech was not only lacking in substance but it also failed to address the central issue: i.e., that the PM lacks a majority in parliament - unless Franco Debono states that he will vote with the government in the next money bill.

Dr Gonzi talked of the eighties. One could perhaps ask him where the hell was he in the eighties. I do not recall seeing him at Tal-Barrani or other hot spots. Neither do I remember with all the other gladiators.

I guess the same applies to so many other people such as David Casa who was applauding on the front line on Sunday. But I seem to have a different memory of David Casa's political affiliations before 1987. But let us get to the point.

Lawrence Gonzi has decided not to resign but to open the leadership contest to others and to the scrutiny of some 800 councillors. Just in case you do not know, the 800 councillors are by and large Gonzi supporters who will openly or secretly support Gonzi. And if you ask me no one will dare contest.

If Gonzi wanted a contest for a new leader to take over he should have resigned. And as in all cases a vacuum pushes new faces to the fore. The Times were told by Franco Debono - shielding under the traditional 'sources close to' - that he would not be contesting the post of PN leader.

We all know that Franco would not stand a flying chance as a contestant. And we also know that there will be no contestants, no one will dare face the wrath of 800 yes men.
It is important to remember that many of the PN councillors are handpicked by the inner circle around Gonzi and chosen on one criterion, ­loyalty.

Many local committees have not even had elections, because there weren't enough candidates for the posts.

Lawrence Gonzi said that he would support a new leader if he was elected. I am sorry but this would be a real surprise to me. In his years as leader of the party he has shown the lack of any form of magnanimity to those who have confronted his leadership, by either kicking the threat upstairs and seeing them perish by the wayside or by simply being side-lined.

Gonzi is a master chess player. He knows that no one will contest him. In a Kunsill Generali, exemplified by mediocrity and adulation, we heard the Prime Minister being described as someone who loved his country and thought others to love their country. It was as if all the rest had still to learn the meaning of being a Maltese.

Last Sunday, Gonzi did the following things:

- He attempted to transpose the problem from parliament to the party.
- He tried to give the impression that he is expendable.
- He and all the other speakers managed not to make any reference to Franco Debono as the problem ­ when Franco Debono is the root of the problem. Franco Debono caused this problem and masterminded the whole media hype through his manipulative ways.

Gonzi planned and succeeded in winning more time if an election is to be held. He also neutralised any attempt internal or external to challenge his leadership.
Yet by doing all this he seems to have underestimated the fact that the Nationalist electorate is not as fickle as it appears to be. On the contrary many normal Nationalist folk are exasperated by these games.

They blame Franco Debono for getting us here and the Prime Minister for having made such miscalculations as Party leader. It may have won time but he has lost credibility with the typical Nationalist who is infuriated by the postponement of a problem for the sake of hanging on to the seat of power.