The pre-electoral coalition between the Nationalist Party and the nascent Partit Demokratiku is no more after the PN executive unanimously approved to scrap its alliance with the ‘Orange Party’ tonight. 

“The PN and PD had presented its candidates on a joint list with the intention of forming a coalition government in the national interest, but the National Force didn’t manage to win enough votes to form a government as planned,” the PN said in a statement. “We therefore declare this alliance over. From now on, all cooperation with PD MPs will take place on a case by case basis.” 

The motion to scrap the alliance was moved by PN MP and secretary general Clyde Puli. 

Godfrey Farrugia, one of the two PD MPs, responded that the PD had already cut ties with the PN as soon as Adrian Delia was elected leader last September. 

“Adrian Delia doesn’t represent me or Marlene as Opposition leader, and the PD is represented distinctly in Parliament as a Democratic Opposition. What the PN announced tonight was old news, which leads me to suspect there was a hidden agenda behind the motion.” 

Adrian Delia has put an end to the PN-PD coalition 

Formed last year by MP Marlene Farrugia, the Partit Demokratiku had run June’s election on a coalition ticket with the Nationalist Party, back then led by Simon Busuttil. The coalition worked wonders for the PD and two of its candidates – Marlene Farrugia and her partner Godfrey Farrugia – were elected to Parliament, a historic achievement for a Maltese third party. 

However, the result angered people within the Nationalist Party, who argued the coalition essentially allowed the PD to pinch two parliamentary seats from the PN.

Relations between the PN and the PD soured considerably after Adrian Delia replaced Simon Busuttil as PN leader last September. Following the assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia in October, Marlene Farrugia urged Delia to call a vote of confidence in his leadership, but this fell on deaf ears.

The PD is now led by medical doctor Anthony Buttigieg, the party’s former deputy leader who resigned from the post after last June’s election in protest at Marlene Farrugia’s refusal to rule out running for the post of PN leader. 

What did you think of the experimental coalition between the PN and the PD? 

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Tim Diacono

Tim is interested in the rapid evolution of human society and is passionate about justice, human rights and cutting-edge political debates. You can follow him on Instagram or Twitter/X at @timdiacono or reach out to him at [email protected]