The Nationalist Party’s executive council have been called to convene after Adrian Delia lost a confidence vote within the parliamentary group, with the council currently trying to set a date for the crucial meeting.

“Before the vote, I declared that I would call an Executive Council meeting because the vote is not legitimate and would need to go before the Executive as the statute says,” Delia said during a press conference after the vote.

Yesterday, Executive Committee President Alex Perici Calascione told TVM that he did not receive any message to set up the meeting. However, Lovin Malta is informed that this changed and the council is looking for a date before continuing. 

Delia lost the confidence vote on Tuesday evening with 19 members of the parliamentary group (two MEPs) voting against him, with just 10 (11 if Delia is included) backing the leader.

Claudio Grech is reportedly being touted to replace Delia as the Opposition Leader.

Delia has vowed to stay on as PN and Opposition Leader until the end of the legislature, insisting that the PN’s paid-up members had elected him to the role of leader. Should Delia stay on, the PN could end up in the anomalous situation of having a separate Party Leader and an Opposition Leader.

In the press conference, Delia faced multiple questions as to whether or not he would call for a vote in the General Council or among the paid-up members. He dodged each question, insisting he would have to wait for the Executive Council meeting before proceeding.

Delia has been facing renewed pressure ever since he became subject to a magisterial inquiry over an alleged bribe from Daphne Caruana Galizia murder suspect Yorgen Fenech to prevent MEP David Casa’s re-election.

The Times of Malta published WhatsApp conversations between Delia and Fenech, before his arrest but after the reveal that he owned 17 Black, the Dubai based company linked to the offshore Panama accounts of Keith Schembri and Konrad Mizzi and the controversial Enemalta purchase of a Montenegrin windfarm.

Delia has denied all wrongdoing.

Lovin Malta has reached out to the PN for comment.

Photo source: DOI – Jason Borg