Simon Busuttil is first, but as expected doesn’t have the required two-thirds
Simon Busuttil has 50.3% of the vote (451), Mario de Marco has 38.5% (345), Francis Zammit Dimech has 6% (54) and Raymond Bugeja has 5.2% (47).
It all went pretty much as expected, really.
Busuttil needs two-thirds of the vote to be confirmed leader, so there will be a second round of voting on Wednesday. Zammit Dimech and Bugeja will retire from the race before then, one imagines. De Marco will now have a tough couple of days to take the decision on whether to bow out too or try for Zammit Dimech’s and Bugeja’s votes in the second round.
But even if de Marco retires and Busuttil remains the only candidate for the second round, that second round still has to take place.
In the 2004 party leadership election, Lawrence Gonzi had 59.3% of the vote, John Dalli had 25.3%, and Louis Galea had 15.4%. Dalli and Galea withdrew before the second round, having worked out that they had no chance, and Gonzi remained the sole candidate, winning 94% of the vote.
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Demarco should give up, really.
If voters for both first contenders confirm their vote in the second round Demarco needs all the votes but six of the other two contenders to get the same votes as Simon. It will do the party no good if he persists, much like his dad did to Eddie.
No Demarco shouldn’t give up. It should remain a fair contest in the second round too. There are those who think Louis Galea should have remained. When it’s done and dusted, then take it from there.
No matter what ignorant people say. Simon is the ideal person to be at the helm steering the way for PN winning the next election.
Simon is enemy number 1 to Joseph. All his comrades in the MLP regime are also frightened of Simon’s facing Joseph in parliament or on television.
Simon is the right choice. Not the perfect choice, but the right choice. It is crucial that the party now shows unity.
Ray Bugeja and Francis Zammit Dimech are key to a swift end to the contest.
They will know who their erstwhile supporters will now be voting for. They should inform Mario Demarco.
If all these votes are not going to be transferred to him, then Mario should bow out gracefully and commit to a united team which will face a huge by not impossible task in 5 years time. The work starts Monday morning 9:00 a.m.
X’differenza mill-Labour. Bravu w onorabli Mario. Il-Partit Nazzjonalista jibqa l-aqwa u l-isbah partit ta’ Malta.
Excellent, Marco pulled out. Hopefully, now, a solid team to take on the squalid team.
Just watched the first phase of PN’s council. Adding to my previous few words, I am now full of admiration towards Mario deMarco for having had not only the common sense to see the writing on the wall but additionally for the humble, courageous and spirited speech as he proceeded to deliver his final speech in this PN leadership contest.
[Daphne – There was nothing humble about that speech or his behaviour. ‘Humble’ is a much misunderstood and misused word in Malta. It does not share a meaning with ‘umli’. And in any case, Mario wasn’t ‘umli’. He was dignified and graceful, certainly not ‘humble’. I could write a post on how I can’t stand the way the word ‘humble’ is thrown about like praise and admiration in Malta, when in English it is anything but. It is a description of something insignificant, even demeaning, not something worthy.]
Indeed, PN can now look forward to a re-start with Simon who now has multiple challenges to face but who is also inheriting a party full of loyal people ready to assist to convince the electorate that PN is indeed the better choice after experiencing 5 years of this arrogant and amateurish lot.
Let’s have a quick English lesson.
– my humble abode
– to eat humble pie
– the meek and humble
– a humble servant
In other words, humble is used when A is inferior to B, which de Marco certainly is not. Neither was Mrs Fenech Adami. The word we’re all looking for here is “dignified”, “unpretentious” at a pinch, “modest” for the latter.
Another of my pet gripes, and we can expect to see a lot of it following this leadership election, is “serious”. As in “we will be a serious opposition.” As opposed to a comic one? Try these: effective, active, focussed, worthy (of the people’s trust etc.), strong, unyielding.
Focused.
Focussed too. In British English.
Yes, but not really used.
This Wednesday Simon Busuttil will be elected as leader. Just to be let known that the Labourites I know are delighted that Simon will be the new leader and not Mario Demarco. If someone out there can illuminate me on this matter please write.
Not the forty thousand (their figure) over at Vivamalta though.