‘I know the party. I might know people even better ’

PN deputy leadership candidate CLAUDETTE BUTTIGIEG, the party’s spokeswoman for civil liberties, tells Christian Peregin she is encouraged by the party’s internal discussions on sensitive issues. Why did you decide to contest for the deputy leadership? Sometimes in life people around you see you in a way which perhaps you don’t see yourself. This is what happened to me when I started being approached by several people who told me I should consider contesting for one of the highest posts in the party. Including leadership? Yes, and I thought this was too soon and too abrupt. After all, you had just been elected MP for the first time. I also felt it would be totally misinterpreted as being presumptuous. My immediate reaction was no, but as time went by I understood where this was coming from. It came from reading the electoral result, which told us we need to change. That’s when I realised people were seeing me as part of this change. The role of deputy leader was split in two after you made your announcement to contest. Why did you choose to contest for the position related to party affairs and not parliamentary affairs? I’m actually thankful the decision was made because when I...