Bernard Grech: ‘I’m the choice of a stronger PN’

Bernard Grech has the PN leadership election to become its ninth leader, with a resounding 69.3% of the vote.

His landslide confirms the thirst for change inside the PN after three years under the leadership of the lacklustre Adrian Delia.

Grech acknowledged the large scale of his victory as a sign of the greater responsibility he had in winning over the trust of all PN member and voters.

Grech said he had already met MPs who were by Adrian Delia’s side, who had told him they would work loyally under his leadership.

The PN leader said he would find no difficulty in securing his seat in the House, saying that sitting MPs had already been approached to offer up their seat so that Grech can take his place as Opposition leader.

Grech refuted the Labour Party’s reaction that dubbed him as the “choice of the party establishment”.

“I am the choice of 69% of our paid-up members… I don’t do labels, so I tell Robert Abela that what he has here is a stronger PN, and that I will be working for the PN to move forward from this point on.”

Grech would not speculate on the chances of the PN winning the next election. “If Abela steams ahead with an early election, it would be shameful of the Labour Party to use the nation to shore up the administration. Everybody knows the state of businesses and jobs like now, so I invite Abela to take the best decisions in the interest of people’s health, the economy and for society.”

Grech said he had no doubt that the party’s wounds would heal, and called on the party faithful to reach out to those who felt hurt by the PN. “This is a big PN family and we need to reach out.”