By Alex Borg
I read James Debono鈥檚 recent piece in Sunday鈥檚 MaltaToday, PN At A Crossroads: The Narrow Ideological Choice, with both appreciation and resolve. He rightly diagnoses our moment. The Nationalist Party is facing a turning point. But it is not just a question of ideology. It is a question of imagination, ambition, and whether we are still capable of building a future that speaks to the soul of our nation.
This is not just a leadership contest between two candidates. It is a defining moment for the party, and for Malta.
I respect James Debono鈥檚 honesty. He challenges the PN not to fall into the trap of false choices or superficial change. He warns us against reducing this leadership race to stylistic preferences between two shades of the same conservatism. And he questions whether either of us can rise to the occasion. That challenge is fair. And I accept it, because I believe this contest must be about something deeper: the future of our country, and the role the Nationalist Party must play in shaping it.
A party that has lost its voice
Let鈥檚 be honest. The PN has lost its sense of self. We鈥檝e been too focused on internal disputes, on reliving past glories or nursing past wounds. We鈥檝e become reactive, rigid, and sometimes, irrelevant.
What once was a political movement that gave Malta its institutions, its European identity, and its post-independence direction, has become a party unsure of how to connect with the people it once inspired. This is not about blaming individuals. It is about recognising the collective drift.
Over the years, our party has failed to reform itself structurally, financially, and politically. We鈥檝e clung to slogans when we needed substance. We鈥檝e hesitated when we needed boldness. And we鈥檝e spoken inwards, when we should have been listening outwards.
A country in flux
Meanwhile, the country and the world around us are changing fast. Global uncertainty is reshaping the world. AI, climate transition, security concerns, inflation, and mass migration are redefining what it means to govern. In Malta, people are asking fundamental questions about quality of life, corruption, education, housing, healthcare, and what it means to belong here.
But when they look at the political class, and at us in the PN, many don鈥檛 see hope. They see noise. They see politics as a game. And they see two parties that look too much alike.
This must change. And that鈥檚 why I鈥檝e entered this contest.
We need more than a new leader
What we need is not just new leadership. We need a new political culture. A new sense of purpose. A deep renewal that touches our identity, our structure, our communication, our candidates, and our credibility. This is not just about beating Labour. It is about becoming the party that people trust to build a better Malta. To do that, we must be radical in thinking, disciplined in structure, and courageous in vision.
We need to reform our party from the inside out. We need to rethink our Fhemiet Ba偶i膵i (Core Beliefs). We need to run our organisation efficiently, professionally, and transparently. We need to embrace digital transformation not just as a policy, but as a mindset. And most of all, we need to listen鈥攔eally listen to people鈥檚 struggles, dreams, frustrations, and hopes.
A broader, braver PN
James Debono warns about the risk of narrowing our ideological space. I agree. But I don鈥檛 see the PN as a party of rigid ideologies. I see it as a coalition of values; rooted in liberty, ambition, maturity, adaptability, and trust.
We must be a broad movement: pro-business and pro-worker. Green and growth-oriented. Proud of our heritage, but never hostage to it. Conservative in integrity, progressive in innovation. Open to civil dialogue on LGBTIQ+ rights, migration, faith, family, and national identity; without turning differences into division.
That鈥檚 not confusion. That鈥檚 what democratic centrism should look like. That鈥檚 what modern leadership requires.
Why I鈥檓 running
I鈥檓 not running against Adrian Delia. I鈥檓 running for the future of the Nationalist Party.
This leadership contest must not be about who shouts louder or who鈥檚 been here longer. It must be about who brings the vision, energy, and strategy to rebuild the party and prepare it to govern. Let this be a contest of ideas. Let it be one of vision. Of passion. Of plans.
If I win, I will lead a party that is bold, open, and disciplined. A party that communicates clearly. That operates like a government-in-waiting. That listens before it speaks. And acts before it reacts. But if I lose, and those ideas don鈥檛 win the day, then at least I can say I tried to raise the bar and will be, as always, ready to serve the party. Because the Nationalist Party needs a wake-up call. And Malta needs an Opposition worthy of its people.
This is a defining moment. The time is now.