Hermann Schiavone’s persistent loyalty to the Nationalists has won him a place back in the party’s good books after he was approved as a candidate for the general and council elections.

Dr Schiavone had been unceremoniously stopped from presenting himself as a PN candidate way ahead of the last general election, which many political analysts believed was a means to appease then rebel backbencher MP Franco Debono who had also contested the fifth electoral district.

Although sidelined by the party for the past three general elections, Dr Schiavone remained loyal to the party and last May successfully fought for a place on the party’s executive.

His loyalty and hard work were the main reasons why his candidature was approved by the party’s executive on Friday night, according to party general secretary Chris Said.

The executive approved him as a general election candidate on the fifth district and as a local council candidate for the Birżebbuġa council.

Dr Schiavone, 49, was “unfortunate” with his candidatures, Dr Said pointed out when contacted, but the party now had a commission that was screening possible candidates. He added that the party “had other views in the past” when asked what brought about the change of position.

When contacted, Dr Schiavone confirmed he had been given the green light, saying he appreciated the trust shown in him and was prepared to continue working in the party’s best interest.

He appeared before the PN’s Candidates’ Commission, headed by former European Commissioner Joe Borg and his name was forwarded to the party’s administration and then the executive.

Dr Schiavone has had an unstable political career ever since he was forced to withdraw his candidature for the 2003 election, after an anonymous letter alleged he was involved in some wrongdoing. The police had investigated the claims made and he had been cleared.

Subsequently, Dr Schiavone had said he suspected the anonymous letter had been sent by Dr Debono, an allegation the former government backbencher strongly denied.

The party had said the allegation by Dr Schiavone was unacceptable and did not field him on the party list for the 2008 election.

While insisting there was no allegation he had to withdraw and had not done or said anything wrong, Dr Schiavone said that although he was hurt, he was accepting the party’s decision.

Last December, he had been approached to contest the MEP election but he turned down the offer, after discussing the matter with his family.