PN MPs reticent over Adrian Delia spectacle

Adrian Delia is facing one of his toughest hours yet as he juggles accusations of domestic violence made by his wife and pressure from within the Nationalist Party to resign.

The PN leader has so far given no indication that he intends to go anywhere. On Tuesday, he made it clear that he is not considering resigning and felt no need to ask for a vote of confidence within the party. Delia is insisting that his personal separation has not hindered him from carrying out his job as Opposition and party leader.

He has refused to discuss the serious allegations made by his wife, insisting the couple had agreed in court not to discuss their ongoing separation in public.

However, Delia is beset by countless leaked messages from his phone and videos of him in a domestic setting. In an exchange seen by MaltaToday, Delia was discussing the possible financing of the PN by Global Capital, an insurance company, through the party's cedoli scheme.

Delia has blamed the latest barrage of criticism on people within the party who never accepted the democratic choice of PN members to elect him leader.

This state of affairs prompted Delia to send a WhatsApp message on Monday to members of the administrative council, calling them to arms. The poetic message also hit out at traitors, in a clear reference to party functionaries who want him out. Later Delia insisted it was important for the PN to unite behind him in the wake of two major electoral appointments in May.

The situation within the PN even prompted David Stellini, an MP and president of the administrative council, to lament the general lack of trust between party members.

In the midst of this turmoil, we spoke to a number of PN MPs to ask what they thought Adrian Delia should do in the circumstances, and whether they felt he should call a vote of confidence, in his leadership, at the party’s general council.

MaltaToday tried to contact all PN MPs, but multiple attempts to call, or reach via text message, those whose names are not listed below were unsuccessful. Here is what those who spoke to us said:

Karl Gouder

“It’s more a question of what the party should do, rather than Adrian Delia. We should sit together, and understand each other and the situation we are going through, and then chart a way forward.”

“God forbid it should come to [a confidence vote]. We are all mature people and can discuss how the party should move ahead.”

Hermann Schiavone

"Adrian Delia should not call a confidence vote because not a single councillor in the general council has requested this."

Beppe Fenech Adami

“I have no comment to make.”

Mario Galea

“Adrian Delia should keep leading the party. I have absolute faith in him.”

David Agius, deputy leader

Agius declined to comment, saying all media queries should be directed to the PN’s information office.

David Stellini

“In the circumstances, which are very urgent, Delia should convene all of the party’s organs – the parliamentary group, the administrative council and the executive – so people can start discussing things instead of speaking in their own echo chambers, and re-establish an element of trust. I don’t see that he has any other alternative than to do this.”

On whether a confidence vote should be called, Stellini said he wasn’t excluding anything. “But I think the first stage is to discuss and debate, including about Delia’s leadership, and he should be given all the space to answer any questions. We can then move on from there.”

Jason Azzopardi

“I have no comment to make at this stage.”

Robert Cutajar

“I don’t feel this is something which calls for a comment on the phone. I think this matter should be discussed internally, in the right forum.”