Opposition leader Adrian Delia has won a confidence vote at the PN General Council, securing 68% of the vote.

Francis Zammit Dimech announced the result on Net News. He said the “yes” vote secured 67.75% of the vote (920 votes), while the “no” camp secured 32.25% (438 votes).

Turnout was at around 92% of the Council’s 1,500 or so members.

Delia faced calls to resign in the wake of the PN’s disastrous showing at last May’s European Parliament and local council elections, with internal critics warning his continued leadership risks the Labour Party securing a two-thirds parliamentary majority at the next general election.

However, Delia argued that he was elected by the PN’s members to lead the party into the next general election.

In a speech before the vote, Delia that the past weeks were some of the best weeks of his political career as meeting with councillors helped him discover the “true heritage” of the PN.

In a symbolic appeal for unity, Delia embraced Ivan Bartolo, the man spearheading the confidence vote, at the end of his speech and shut down his own supporters after they booed and jeered the leadership critic.   

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