Petition Calls For ‘Open Elections’ For PN Leadership

Recently launched social and economically liberal publication Liberal View is calling for open elections among Maltese nationals and EU citizens residing in Malta for the new Nationalist Party leader.

“We want the Nationalist Party to become a truly European party” said Matthew Mizzi, founder of the Liberal View - adding, “The Labour Party amended its statute in 2009 to provide for the direct election of party leader from a Congress of Members. The Nationalist Party, Malta’s second largest party should follow suit.”

Mizzi, currently reading a Master of Laws at King’s College in London, spoke out against voting in the 2013 General Elections due to the way political campaign has degenerated. [Read More Here] Following the result, which saw the Labour party win by a landslide, he set up the aforementioned online blog, the liberal view – claiming that a growing sector of the Maltese population identify with liberal ideals. Earlier this week, the blog also called for the Nationalist Party to embrace the opportunity to fully reform its structures with an open approach.

The petition, called Say, was launched earlier today via online petitioning site change.org. It holds that the PN administrative organ- The General Council, should amend the party’s statute to allow EU citizens residing in Malta to become party members and thus allowing them to actively participate in the election of a new party Leader after having registered as party members.

This pledge follows reports that the PN is expected to commission a study into the party’s dismal which consigned it to the opposition after 15 years in power.

Speaking to InsiterOnline, Mizzi held that the cause is implemented in other countries – namely the U.S. Republican Party, the British Liberal Democrat Party and Italy’s Democrat Party – parties have a say in who becomes their leader.

“Our message is simple: We want to participate in the Nationalist Party’s future; We want to be able to choose the new Nationalist Party leader” he continued.

The petition can be found here [link].