I know it's the final countdown, but I have lost count... Would it be an additional five to the past 20 years or would it be the end of an era and the start of a new one? In a few weeks' time we will know which will be the government we deserve.
It is certainly an interesting time. Not because it's our first general election since joining the EU but, more so, because we have learned the lessons of what political maturity entails. We are no longer extremely emotional in demonstrating our political views. We have become more concious of the government's role within a democracy. We look at our political parties from a different perspective. We have become less nostalgic and more forward-looking as a community. We know what we want to achieve in the future not through the mesmerising of our politicians or the glitters of their propaganda but out of our intelligent ambitions and the economic, social and cultural potential of our nation. This election is taking a different shape altogether, and not without a reason!
Our political parties of whatever genre, big or small, seem to be well equipped in both form and substance. Their respective electioneering strategies are emerging day by day and the first indicators have shown that the parties are not after over-enthusiasm and emotional support. The leaders themselves insist that the pre-election period is the right time for the people to make up their minds after listening carefully to their political messages in "calm and tranquillity".
The party strategists know well that the segment they want to target most is the middle-class floater. The surveys show that this segment has increased substantially since the last general election. From a purely national, but surely not partisan, point of view this phenomenum is quite positive and healthy. It shows that elections are not an easy ride. The thought that voters do have brains exerts more pressure on our politicians who know it for a fact that they will be judged on their innovative proposals and their futuristic vision for the country. Political gimmicks, catchy slogans and media manipulation won't do the trick this time.
Our political parties might be missing the woods for the trees if their strategies focus on the impact of their propaganda on the electorate as against the intellectual effectiveness of their agendas generated by public debate during the election campaign. So far, it seems that our parties are concentrating on the former style of electioneering.
Perhaps they would undermine their own strategy if they were to disclose their winning cards at this stage. But they should realise that most of the floaters are not impressed with the idea of having a billboard or the cover page of a policy document redesigned and recycled from some other source. The open-minded citizen knows what's behind the PN intentions to project their leader as the one and only - a strategy based on the cult of the persona - and similarly they could also sense the motives behind the MLP's strategy to face the public as a strong and a united team. There is more to it than the parties want us to believe!
But, on the other hand, the political parties are not yet off track as far as campaigning goes. Through their initial activities they have already proclaimed their mission statements and how they intend to put theory into practice.Whether they have achieved their targets in persuading the electorate to back them up in their plans we still need more time to contemplate upon. There is still lack of clarity and explanations in their proposals, and the general feeling is that the electorate might end up asking more questions than coming to terms with the politicians' visibility.
The electorate's frame of mind is set to evaluate whether the PN merits another term to continue leading the country in reaping the benefits of European Union membership (an issue of which they strongly claim ownership) or whether we should choose the MLP, which is promising a better government with a fresher approach.
And what about the other parties that are strongly advocating the idea of a coalition government or a national government? Would this be the best way forward for our people?
The only way how voters can reach conclusions is to assess the party proposals purely through a pragmatic and a hands-on approach. Who would be against paying less or no tax on overtime? Who would oppose paying the fuel surcharge bill by half? Who is against widening the tax bands and getting tax exemptions? However, this is not what the electorate is looking for. We welcome such innovative initiatives aimed at stimulating the purchasing power and economic growth, but only when we are assured that these are feasible in the long term.
Electioneering is not about the parties' struggle for power; it's about reassuring and safeguarding the power of the people.
matyas@maltanet.net