Franco Debono said he has received a barrage of messages from PN supporters urging him to run for the post of party leader in the wake of Bernard Grech’s resignation.

Debono confirmed with Lovin Malta that several people are already urging him to contest the leadership, which he pointed out is significant given the context.

Although he remains a PN member and a member of the PN General Council, he hasn’t been active in frontline politics since 2013.

He pointed out that his name has consistently featured highly in PN leadership surveys, including a professional one carried out by Vincent Marmara. A new Lovin Malta poll currently has him in third place, behind only Alex Borg and Roberta Metsola.

Debono said he will listen to his supporters before taking a decision on whether to run or not, but urged the PN to embrace politics of inclusivity.

“Over the past 15 years, there has been a big problem of inclusivity and finding defects in everyone,” he said.

“I have been calling for inclusivity since I have been an MP and I cannot stress this point enough. Everyone should have room in the party, even critics. If I had any say in the way the party is run, I would make sure that my critics have room too.”