With Labour under fire, the PN still can’t find its voice

Opposition Leader Bernard Grech has the political charisma of a damp dishcloth trying to lead the Nationalist Party through a political storm. Despite a government riddled with corruption allegations, scandals, and judicial investigations, Grech still can’t transform public outrage into political momentum.

At a time when Malta’s democratic institutions are under siege, when public trust is eroding, and when international headlines about the country still mention corruption and criminal investigations, the Opposition should be thriving.

Instead, the Nationalist Party under Bernard Grech is stuck in neutral.

Grech has been right on principle. He has consistently defended citizens’ rights to request magisterial inquiries and the judiciary’s integrity. While Robert Abela undermines magistrates, questions motives, and conveniently forgets the constitutional boundaries of his office, Grech has stood firm.

He’s called for transparency in the hospitals’ deal – the result of a case filed by former leader Adrian Delia – defended the rule of law, and pushed back against Labour’s aggressive narrative that every investigation and every criticism by civil society is a partisan attack.

But leadership is not just about being correct — it’s about conviction, communication, and connection. And that’s where Grech is failing.

He’s not fiery, he’s not forceful, and more worryingly, he’s not memorable.

Meanwhile, internal party theatrics are doing him no favours. Enter Alex Borg — a young and dangerously self-assured MP from Gozo who sees himself as the heir apparent, long before anyone’s actually crowned him with legitimacy.

Borg is popular on social media, slick in presentation, and deeply convinced of his own future. But there’s very little in terms of policy depth, national thinking, or political maturity.

He supported the Fort Chambray development, which critics say violated contractual obligations and prioritised commercial interests over historical preservation.

Instead of rallying behind the party to build a vision the country needs, Borg decided it was his moment to shine. “I believe in progress that benefits Gozitans,” Borg said in a parliamentary statement. “We must find a balance between tradition and economic opportunity.”

But critics say Borg’s version of “balance” disproportionately favours developers.

The Gozo MP has mastered the art of the perfectly filtered Instagram post and the vague, platitude-filled speech. He sees himself as the great hope of the PN’s future — Malta’s answer to Macron, if Macron were 25 and spent more time on Reels than in parliament.

His open ambition and constant self-promotion risk fracturing the PN even further, especially when unity is the one thing the party can’t afford to lose.

A rising star who’s more influencer than statesman can quickly become a liability.

Many interpret Borg’s campaign for relevance as a power play and yet another reminder that the party is too focused on internal egos to present itself as a government-in-waiting.

Meanwhile, Robert Abela does what Labour does best: distracting, spinning, and surviving. Every week, there’s a new scandal. And yet Labour’s popularity continues to float above the wreckage.

Why? Because even with all its flaws, the Labour Party has built a myth of strength, economic growth, and continuity. It’s a mirage, but one that many Maltese still find preferable to the PN’s incoherence.

Let’s be blunt: How is the PN still trailing in the polls when Labour ministers are practically tripping over each other on the way to court? When Malta’s international reputation is in tatters? When families are struggling with the cost of living, young people are priced out of the housing market, and cronyism has become a national sport.

The answer lies within the PN itself — a party that is still stuck between two identities: one nostalgic for the days of Eddie Fenech Adami and one trying to rebrand itself without actually changing its approach.

In the midst of all this, Robert Abela sails on, not because he’s winning hearts, but because he’s running unopposed. Labour has crafted a narrative of strength and economic continuity — even if it’s built on a house of cards.

Abela positions himself as calm in the storm, even when he’s the one who lit the match.

Scandal after scandal continues to emerge, yet Labour’s grip on the electorate remains unsettlingly firm.

That grip isn’t loyalty — it’s resignation. Many voters, even disillusioned ones, see Labour’s faults but don’t trust the PN to manage a corner store, let alone the country.

So until the PN stops acting like it’s waiting for Labour to implode and instead builds a real alternative, Maltese voters will keep holding their noses and voting red. Not because they love Labour — but because they still don’t trust the PN to do any better.

There’s a vacuum waiting to be filled. The country needs a renewal—one that speaks to disillusioned Labour voters, young people trapped in a broken economy, professionals sick of clientelism, and families tired of the two-party rot.