Both PN deputy leaders Robert Arrigo and David Agius, as well as Whip Robert Cutajar, have signed Bernard Grech’s nomination he submitted to retain his position as party leader.

PN rules require leadership nominees to obtain the signatures of three MPs, five local councillors, 10 members of the executive, 50 members of the general council and 50 party members.

Arrigo’s endorsement is significant as he had been relatively critical of the PN following its electoral trashing last March. Shortly after the result was confirmed, he raised eyebrows by tweeting “Please help us, Roberta”, a reference to European Parliament President Roberta Metsola.

In an interview with Illum, Arrigo said he wasn’t involved at all in the election campaign and described the PN’s loss of some 12,000 votes compared to the 2017 election as “very worrying”. 

He also put a dampener on enthusiasm aired by PN leader Bernard Grech that the party managed to elect several new MPs, arguing that this was inevitable considering so many MPs had decided not to contest in the first place.

Arrigo also recently reportedly stated during an administrative meeting that the party had received donations from Ray Fenech – CEO of the Tumas Group, uncle of Yorgen Fenech and one of three ElectroGas directors – via a Qormi-based intermediary. However, he retracted this statement following an internal review of the PN’s donations.

As per recent changes in the PN’s statute, the party will soon only have a single deputy leader; Arrigo has already pledged not to contest this role while Agius hasn’t made a statement in this regard.

The PN will also have an executive secretary, as well as a secretary-general, two presidents – for policy research and social dialogue – and five regional managers.