She rose through the ranks and was elected vice-president and eventually President of the European Parliament. In a party that had grown so used to losing, one of its own ended up rising more than any local politician had ever done.

Metsola’s rise gave PN’s dejected supporters something to cheer about but it cast a long shadow over Grech. While he managed to save the party from a destructive split, the PN flatlined under his watch and didn’t make any gains at the 2022 election.

Grech seemed ready to hand over the reins to Metsola on more than one occasion.

By the time the 2024 MEP election had come about, discussions between Grech’s and Metsola’s teams over a possible transition of power – no matter the result – had already kickstarted. There was even talk over whether Metsola should contest the election as a PN candidate or bow out on a high and return to Malta.

In the end, the decision was made for her to contest.

One key reason is believed to be Metsola’s overwhelming popularity – so much so that the PN risked losing its third seat if she stayed out of the race.

Metsola’s personal campaign, under the slogan “Tama”, certainly hinted that she was ready to take the plunge and PN supporters responded in force. Metsola won 87,000 first-count votes, setting a new record for a Maltese MEP candidate, as the PN surprised everyone by shrinking the gap to PL to a mere 8,000 voes.

Yet behind the scenes, transition talks stalled.

The exact reason is unclear. Grech’s aide Ray Bezzina said in a MaltaToday article that Metsola was never committal and kept Grech hanging.

However, Grech could have also chosen to resign on the spot as he ended up doing a year later. Metsola’s first term as EP President was expiring and she wouldn’t have been able to use her role as an excuse to reject the PN leadership. If Grech really wanted Metsola to take over, that was an ideal time.

Political developments complicated this though. For the first time since losing power, the PN had begun to build genuine momentum and a renewed sense of hope. Cracks started appearing in the PL, and the ruling party appeared to be on the back foot.

Grech cannot be blamed for deciding to stay on. Why go through all that work only to jump ship when it seems that you finally have a clear path to power?

However, the PL quickly recovered from its shock result, revamped its leadership team and onboarded previously disillusioned voters.

And as the PN lost its momentum, focus started shifting once more to Metsola, who constantly kept the door open when questioned about her intentions in several interviews.

This prolonged uncertainty, coupled with the loss of momentum, clearly frustrated Grech and his team and culminated in his decision to abruptly resign.

Whether the blame lies with Metsola for never fully committing to the job or with Grech for not timing his resignation properly, the reality is that a succession plan that had been in the works for a while is now up in smoke.

What could have been a carefully orchestrated transition between two of the PN’s most high-profile figures has now unravelled into complete uncertainty.

Instead of a smooth handover, the party finds itself back at square one – leaderless, divided, and with no clear direction. Whoever steps in will have a monumental task on their hands to rebuild trust in PN and offer a serious challenge to PL.

Yet this is also the perfect time for other leaders to step forward.

The window of opportunity that seemed within reach only a year ago has narrowed significantly, and with an election fast approaching, the stakes are even higher.