Gonzi suggests appointing commission to analyse electoral defeat
PN hold first parliamentary group meeting since election loss.
The Nationalist Party is expected to commission a report into the party's dismal 43% vote that consigned it to the Opposition after 15 years in power, Opposition leader Lawrence Gonzi said today at the end of the PN's first parliamentary group meeting.
Gonzi, who will stand down as leader within three months' time when the PN councillors elect a new leader, deputy leader and secretary-general, said the commission would be based on a similar one as that which analysed the 1996 defeat.
The commission was composed of Godfrey Grima and Fr Joe Borg.
The PN's parliamentary group also had to choose 13 MPs from its 26 elected MPs - now to increase to 30 under Constitutional provisions - to form part of the PN executive committee, which will meet next week. The executive committee will have to vote by secret ballot which seats will be vacated by MPs who got elected from two districts: these are Lawrence Gonzi, Simon Busuttil, Robert Arrigo, George Pullicino, Tonio Fenech, and Joe Cassar. The vacated seats will make way for casual elections.
David Agius was reappointed party whip.