No vacancy, no real contest

European Commissioner John Dalli has ruled out any prospect of contesting Lawrence Gonzi for the leadership of the Nationalist Party, after the prime minister submitted the party leadership to a secret ballot in a bid to consolidate his embattled position.

Dalli, once a leadership contender who lost out to Gonzi, said that without any vacancy created, there was no contest.

"There is no vacancy. I do not think anyone except the incumbent will take part in this event. I surely will not," Dalli, 63, told MaltaToday.

The former finance, foreign and social policy minister was referring to claims by Lawrence Gonzi that he had not resigned: which in turn suggests that Gonzi is de facto still party leader and that no vacancy therefore exists.

The PN's statute says that a leadership contest is held when a "vacancy is created".

But Gonzi has all along insisted he has not resigned: "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."

Gonzi's decision to submit his leadership to a secret ballot was announced at the end of last Sunday's general council. On Thursday, his government faced a vote of no-confidence moved by the Opposition, in which Nationalist MP Franco Debono abstained, and which was only defeated through the Speaker's vote.

The Prime Minister, who yesterday was taking part in the EU summit for a new fiscal treaty, said that he would swear loyalty to any leader elected by the PN's general council.

Formerly a PN leadership contender in 2004, John Dalli has faced mixed fortunes ever since. Within a few months of unsuccessfully challenging Gonzi for the throne, he found himself at the centre of allegations surrounding irregular procurement of medical equipment for Mater Dei hospital, as well as similar allegations concerning airline ticket procurement.

Following Gonzi's statement that he "could not have a Cabinet minister under investigation", Dalli resigned in July 2004. In his resignation letter he hinted at forces working against him from within the party.

He was later rehabilitated after the result of inquiries into both allegations led nowhere. The airline procurement allegations turned out to be unfounded; in the case of alleged kick-backs in the Mater Dei tender, the incriminating document which had implicated the former minister turned out to be a forgery.

But with the Nationalist Party crippled by internal strife, Dalli's exile in the political wilderness proved to be short. He was first re-absorbed into the Cabinet as a personal adviser to Gonzi on the eve of the 2008 election, and later appointed European Commissioner in 2010, in a move widely interpreted as a kick upstairs to remove any threat of a possible challenge by the former leadership rival.

Other possible contenders like MEP Simon Busuttil, Tourism Minister Mario de Marco and MP Beppe Fenech Adami have all clearly said they will support Gonzi.

Franco Debono, who ignited the crisis in Gonzi's government by calling for the prime minister's resignation, also said he would "definitely not" join the leadership contest.

As a result, barring any unforeseen 'surprise' decision to contest by an outside candidate, Lawrence Gonzi is almost certain to contest the leadership race unchallenged.