In an interview with Lovin Malta, Adrian Delia said he has no intention of becoming PN deputy leader if it means contesting another internal election.

After losing out on the PN leadership to Alex Borg by a mere 44 votes, several people have suggested that Delia take on a deputy leadership role.

The PN currently has one deputy leader, Alex Perici Calscione, but Borg has pledged to recreate the position of deputy leader for parliamentary affairs – a role which would have to be occupied by a sitting MP.

Delia said that if the position is created, the PN’s statute would allow for an open contest – something he is unwilling to face after spending three months campaigning.

“What I can tell you is that I’m not interested in contesting another internal election but it doesn’t mean that I’m not prepared to serve as required within the party,” he said.

Asked if he would be interested in the position if he is allowed to run uncontested, Delia said that he doesn’t want to commit himself.

“I certainly told Alex Borg on multiple occasions that I’m ready to serve the party as needed but it doesn’t have to be in a specific position,” he said.

However, Delia said that the result clearly shows that thousands of tesserati want him in some kind of leadership role.

“Labour is trying to interpret the result as the PN being split down the middle but actually tesserati had told us that they want both of us. Some thought it should be Alex-Adrian and some thought it should be Adrian-Alex, but certainly the result is telling us that they want us both in some kind of leadership role.”

“Ironically, I actually received 1,000 more votes than I did in 2017 when I won the leadership election. It is a fact that I bear responsibility for those 8,800 tesserati who want me to participate in the highest levels of the party and that’s what I will do.”