Knock, knock

You don't have to pinch yourself to check if you are in an election mode. The PM and Opposition leader and their troops exude electioneering out of every pore. Nothing new in the latter's regard. Alfred Sant has been promoting the idea that a fresh general election is round the corner for some three years. Nothing less than expected.

The Labour leader had lost the referendum on the EU and, after failing to acknowledge that outcome, led the MLP into a drubbing in the subsequent general election. He had every reason to attempt to try to set an agenda that shifted attention to the next election. He succeeded, outmanoeuvring the government and PN at every turn in that particular regard.

Less expectedly, the Nationalists played along. They responded to every clever provocation and spun to Dr Sant's spin. More recently they gave the tale a fresh twist. The PN opened this new phase by sending its own quarters in a panic.

At this stage of the game one usually tries to identify new electoral candidates, especially those who may be able to steal a few first preferences from voters who traditionally opt for the other side. Instead the PN required candidates to declare themselves so that it could draw up a list - over two years before the date by which the Prime Minister could declare the election date. The scampering of apprehensive old candidates and eager new ones became quite audible. It did not need to be too evident for the Opposition to take on the drift and convert it into fresh forward energy with the challenging/rallying message: "Labour is ready, whenever the election comes".

The PN offered more twists. Its secretary general, the main party mouthpiece, publicly opined that the general election should be combined with the local council elections, which are held in March. He would not go into whether that should be next March, or the one after. That let another cat among the pigeons. Bets are being offered that Lawrence Gonzi will call it in six months' time - March 2007. Not, though, according to him. Warning against an early election mode he reminded one and all that the next general election could be held by up to August 2008 to go, if he chose to. Simple counting, therefore, told there could be 23 months to go, serving out the full term. A seemingly chastened PN secretary general took up the cue: the government was in no rush and had myriad objectives to achieve; the bit about new candidates is as normal as morning coffee, they'll be trained to knock on doors, chew the cud in the kitchen, and all that.

The virulence on Labour's side showed it was not about to be taken unawares. The PM and Nationalist leader did not let them fall into that danger, either. His public utterances are becoming increasingly partisan as he sets a more frenetic rhythm for his party media. The vitriol is in such evident abundance that one is almost tempted to think that the election is really only a few months away, if not to coincide with the next Ides of March.

Having indicated maximum of 22 more months to go, in his Independence Day address the PM said the election could be as much as 18 months away. Confusion creates uncertainty, which is not synonymous with economic health. What is this knocking all about? Is it merely a game plan, as some within the MLP think, a ploy to keep the Opposition guessing, or is Dr Gonzi being buffeted with conflicting advice?

When will he call a general election...?

To be continued