Echoes of Tory leadership crisis in Gonzi’s ‘re-election bid’

Lawrence Gonzi's decision to call for a fresh party leadership contest bears a stark resemblance to the leadership contest the UK Conservative party held back in 1995.

Tory leader and UK prime minister John Major had announced his resignation as party leader, though not as Prime Minister, back in June 1995. His resignation was a response to a deep divide in the party over the highly contentious issue of Europe.

Tory backbenchers were also raising questions on Major's ability to unite and lead the party. And before calling the leadership contest, Major said that the time had come to "put up or shut up".

Major's sole challenger was John Redwood, who resigned as secretary of state for Wales in order to contest. Redwood, a eurosceptic, was not expected to contest. Major had claimed that he was given assurances from his Cabinet that none of its members would stand against him.

Major needed the support of two-thirds of the Conservative parliamentary group to retain the leadership. To win at the first ballot John Major needed 50% of all those eligible to vote as well as a further 15% more than John Redwood. The lowest possible winning margin was 165 votes.

Major scored a convincing victory, polling 218 votes (66%) against Redwood's 89 (27%) and 8 abstentions. Following his re-election John Major had a Cabinet reshuffle and Redwood was not reappointed to the new Cabinet.

Major's re-election as leader of the party failed to restore his authority as party leader or Prime Minister.

By December 1996 the Conservatives had lost their majority in the House of Commons, after seeing their thin majority eroded by by-election defeats, defection of MPs to opposition parties and resignations of MPs. However, Major managed to survive to the end of the legislature. He delayed the election in the hope that a still improving economy would help the Conservatives win a greater number of seats, but it did not. Tony Blair, who had only been at the helm of New Labour for three years, became Prime Minister with a landslide victory in the 1997 election.

Lawrence Gonzi is submitting his leadership of the PN to a secret ballot that is expected not to attract any contenders. To retain the party leadership, he will need a two-thirds majority of all votes cast.

In the last round of the 2004 leadership contest, Gonzi gained 808 votes from the 859 cast. The leader is chosen by the party's general council.  

Anyone can contest the leadership election as long as the nomination is signed by ten regular paid members out of which at least three have to be either members of the party's executive or parliamentary group. The statute does not explain whether a candidate has to be a party member or not, so in theory anyone can contest as long as the nomination is signed by ten party members and accompanied by a signed declaration from the candidate.  

It is not clear whether Gonzi has effectively resigned as party leader. The statute says that a leadership contest is held when a "vacancy is created". However, asked about this matter during yesterday's press conference, Gonzi said:  "I have not resigned. I will still carry out my duties as Prime Minister. As party leader I have asked the party councillors to scrutinise my leadership. It will be an open contest and whoever was critical of my leadership can freely contest the leadership contest."

The general council is composed of the executive committee, the parliamentary group, MEPs, party members chosen by the sectional committees, voting members on the executive committees of the various party sections, one PN local councillor from each locality, approved candidates for the general and European parliament elections, voting members on the executive committees of the various party sections, one PN local councillor from each locality and approved candidates for the general and European parliament elections..