Sympathetic bloggers and small Cabinet bogged down administration - PN analysts

The scathing electoral loss analysis included complaints over the Nationalist Party's failure to "disassociate" itself from bloggers known to be PN sympathisers.

Without expressly mentioning Nationalist pundit Daphne Caruana Galizia, the report noted that while many believed that these bloggers were "doing the work which the party should have done," the PN should have disassociated itself from certain blogs which dealt in comments of a personal nature.

Despite the matter being singled out by the commission, the new PN leader - like his predecessor - failed to disassociate himself from Caruana Galizia, commenting that she did not represent the party.

"Caruana Galizia does not speak on behalf of the PN. Her views are her own and not those of the party," Busuttil said.

Finding the 'perfect sized' Cabinet

In its report, the commission - chaired by Ann Fenech, with Mary Anne Lauri, Simon Mercieca, Rosette Thake and Malcolm Custò - did not shy away from identifying all the factors that informed the electorate's desire for a change in government, which gave Labour an unprecedented 36,000-vote majority and a nine-seat majority in parliament.

Amongst them, it listed the choice of a small Cabinet, which led to many disappointed backbenchers and a lack of management on the civil service and small ministerial secretariats. The latter were unable to handle 'super-ministries' like those created by Lawrence Gonzi.

Ironically, this appears to vindicate the Labour government's decision to increase the number of ministers, a decision much criticised by the Nationalist Party.

However, the Nationalist MPs argue that their criticism still holds.

"Our criticism of the Labour's over-bloated and expensive Cabinet still stands because there is a difference between having a Cabinet that is too small - the PN administration - and one that is too large like the Labour administration," Simon Busuttil said.

Tonio Fenech, whose ministry had been one of the super-ministries, argued that such choices should always be up to the prime minister.

"On the other hand, extremes are never good: a top-heavy setup leads to confusion, while placing a huge load on a few is not good either," he said.

A big Cabinet makes it more difficult to control the government's expenditures, while ministers serving in a small Cabinet would not find enough time to communicate with the electorate, he added.

Mario de Marco shares the belief that the right balance must be struck. "It is a matter of finding the right balance," he said, pointing out that his ministerial responsibilities have now been divided among two ministers and two parliamentary secretaries.