Risk of political impasse

The country may be facing the possibility of having three or more parties in parliament. This would be unusual, given the way the two main political parties have managed to monopolise the scene in the past decades.

Unfortunately our Constitution does not seem to cater for this situation, and let's face it, why should the two main parties ever have contemplated this situation?

Most probably, this election will determine the real value and ambitions of Alternattiva Demokratika. They have been around for almost 19 years now, and the moment should be ripe for them to reap the fruits of their endeavours.

On the other hand Azzjoni Nazzjonali is a fresh party led by two very well known and successful businessmen. Surely the extent of their following is unknown but which many people would like to be able to quantify.

According to the Constitution, should a third party elect at least one MP, the factor which determines who governs the country for the next five years is no longer the total of first-count votes each party has obtained, but the number of seats it has won.

This could take us back to the unfortunate and uncomfortable situation Malta had to face following the 1981 election.

Although I feel that a multi-party government or parliament could be beneficial to the country, also in terms of culture and political maturity, this can turn out to be a political time-bomb in view of what the Constitution provides for.

I strongly believe that we should all keep this issue well in mind when deciding which party to vote for.