It’s often said that the whole purpose of a political party’s existence is for it to win elections, or at least do well in them. Should it continue to incur defeat time and time again, a political party might as well shut up shop, pack its bags and stop running for election. Ever since it suffered a major electoral defeat in 2013, and even before that, the Nationalist Party has incurred several losses, and very few victories, if any.

Clearly, this is a case of failed political strategies being repeated time and time again, and as such electoral defeats have continued to continuously occur. With a disparity of 36,000 votes in 2013, being followed by an even larger loss of 40,000 votes in 2017, it seems quite evident that lessons have yet to be learned.

To start off with what’s obvious, the PN has been continuously facing party disunity and internal squabbles. This has amounted to the PN being riddled with competing factions, ending up going through 3 leaders in the span of just under 8 years. Apart from having caused near-irreparable damage to the party itself, the incessant infighting has left the Maltese electorate discouraged to vote for a party that seems to not be in a fit enough state to be a governing party.

Together with being burdened by an electoral deficit, the PN has also encountered a deficit of an ideological nature. For what has traditionally been a fundamentally conservative and Christian-democratic party, the PN hasn’t shied away from incorporating progressive, liberal, and centrist elements within its ranks.  This ‘catch-all’ and ‘big-tent’ approach the party seems to be going towards has yet to yield any form of success. Whilst this has alienated many of the party’s own supporters, it has also left some wondering what it means to be a Nationalist supporter in 2021, and questioning what they truly stand for and believe in.

Moreover, the PN’s apparent reluctance to confront its past whilst it was in government, and to directly address the issues which continue to cause successive defeats, have led to it being viewed as a party that is out of touch with Maltese society and not in sync with people’s grievances. Additionally, the misgivings which people may still have about the PN seem to not resonate amongst the party’s top brass, who appear hell-bent on maintaining the rhetorical and socio-political status quo which has dominated the party for years on end.

Ultimately, one of the biggest expectations one would have of the Nationalist Party is to see what it has to offer for the electorate. With one of the main criticisms which political commentators often deliver being that the PN is still influenced and characterised by individuals who formed part of the administrations led by Eddie Fenech Adami and Lawrence Gonzi, the party has undertaken steps to introduce new faces within its ranks, which merits credit being given where it is due.

However, the biggest stumbling block which the PN continues to encounter is the perception that people have of it, and its current inability to make any satisfactory inroads amongst the Maltese electorate.

Whereas many continue to perceive the PN as an elitist and classist party, it has turned its focus on combatting corruption and vouching to preserve the rule of law and good governance on a nationwide level as its main battle-cry has obstructed it from focussing on other issues. These being more socio-economic matters which can easily be described as ‘bread and butter’ issues, which impact people’s everyday lives.

This is not to say that the unethical and illicit behaviour of leading political figures within the Labour government doesn’t warrant attention, but that focusing on rightfully condemning such actions should be done alongside concentrating on other major issues.

Stating that the PN has a sprint ahead of it is quite an understatement. It has a marathon. One survey after another shows how the gap between both the PN and PL continues to grow, with the same outcome being displayed in relation to the trust rating enjoyed by Robert Abela and Bernard Grech. With the most recent poll numbers showing a marginal change, the marathon which the PN faces contains a long road that the party has ahead of it, one which it must start from the starting line should it ever desire to come in the first place.

However, a monthly survey won’t deliver victory or defeat for any political party. An election will, and should the PN wish to emerge victorious, it must see what changes it can unleash within itself before it’s prepared to inspire change across Malta and Gozo.