If Roberta Metsola thinks that the Nationalists she has been feeding illusions to for years will simply forgive her for abandoning them now — she is gravely mistaken.
For too long, Metsola posed as the party’s saviour from afar. She let her loyalists stir trouble, whisper doubts about Bernard Grech, and dream up a fairytale where she would descend from Brussels to rescue the PN from ruin.
But Bernard Grech called her bluff. He exposed the charade and stepped aside, leaving Metsola no more excuses to hide behind. And when the moment of truth arrived, Metsola tore off her mask — choosing the comfort of her European seat over the hard reality of leading the party she claims to love.
This is not the first time Nationalists have been burned by this sort of betrayal. One only needs to recall the 2017 election, when Therese Comodini Cachia was pushed forward and elected. The moment she realised she’d be in Opposition, she shamelessly declared she would not take up her seat and preferred to remain comfortably in Brussels.
The backlash was immediate and brutal. In just two days, a furious revolt forced Comodini Cachia to swallow her pride, resign her Brussels post, and respect the people’s vote. Nationalists do not forgive betrayal — no matter how polished the excuse.
Roberta Metsola will learn this lesson too. She abandoned the PN when it needed her backbone the most.
The Nationalists will not forget. And they certainly will not forgive.
