Choosing well

Many Maltese regard politics as the national pastime, discussed at the workplace, in bars and in all other kinds of fora. I have heard some stories from the 1970s and 1980s hundreds of times; some are now part of our folklore and have been peppered with anecdotes. The accounts also differ from one village to another; they also differ from one candidate's canvasser to another. Alas, the things and stories they recount really happened and have since shaped the history of our nation.

While on the light side we can rightfully say that politics is indeed a pastime and the mass meetings are more of a social gathering where to take the family on Sunday, we must not be mistaken and let it stop at that.

Politics is the basis of every nation and Malta is no exception. The political events in the last 40 years have given Malta the status it has now. Independence, becoming a republic and joining the European Union have, undoubtedly, left indelible marks on our formation. So we must be careful to separate myth from reality and fantasies from the truth.

Sadly, the Malta Labour Party seems to be missing this concept once again and is treating its leadership contest as a game of monopoly or a fashion parade. Leading the second largest party in Malta is no joke especially as the MLP has lost six of the last seven general elections. Surely their delegates must have by now realised that they should think with their minds not with their hearts. Surely they must have by now realised that they cannot make the wrong choice for the umpteenth time. It is time for them to be rational and push the pastime away for a while and face reality.

Leadership of the MLP cannot be based on sheer luck. The MLP needs fresh ideas and a new approach not merely a new young face with the wrong ideas. Choosing the right leader will certainly not guarantee them an election victory, especially when they have to compete with an opponent with a formidable track record in government, an opponent that has constantly delivered, an opponent that believes in the country, that is truly the people's party, an opponent that has, over these last two decades, managed to swing the vote of the working class in its favour... by delivering. Having said this, the scenario is even grimmer for the MLP if they choose badly once again. They will be certainly condemning themselves to opposition for a very long time yet again.

I will not go into the merits or rather the demerits of individual candidates but anyone who regards politics as more than a pastime can clearly see that there is not much to choose from. Most of them are trying to put on a new mask on old Labour; some are not even bothering to do that.

With the entire catastrophe he caused during his years as Prime Minister and leader of the Malta Labour Party, one may reluctantly have to admit that Dom Mintoff was the only half decent leader the MLP has had during its 60 years or so of existence. The leadership race looks like a race with cloned contenders, give or take one or two.

One has also to look into another important factor during this contest. Will the vote of the 800 or so delegates really reflect the opinion of the 150,000 or so Labour supporters?

Will the average Labour supporter once again have a leader he does not believe in just because those allowed entry in the glass house deemed rightly so? Who is the people's favourite? Will the delegates consider this important factor?

I attribute Labour's failure over these last years to three major factors. First of all, they had a leader who did not identify himself with the people, a leader who acted on his own and did things out of hard-headedness rather than out of rationality, a leader who led the party from defeat to defeat to defeat. Secondly, the party's administration was just not up to it.

Flamboyant as he may be, the secretary general of the MLP seemed more concerned to look good on television than to steer the party to victory. At times I could not help wondering what was more important to him: the party winning or losing the election or retaining his seat in the glass house. He regularly appeared sporting the latest fashion gear on One TV. Saying this and making a comparison, Joe Saliba is certainly not as trendy but, oh my, he delivers!

Last but maybe the most important factor that has relegated the MLP to the ranking it is in now is the fact that the Nationalist Party has shown with facts that it believes in the people, that it is not afraid to take risks and that it encourages citizens to bring the best out of themselves.

A change in leadership and, most importantly, choosing the right leader will not necessarily result in the MLP winning the elections, especially as things stand today, but, at least, it will provide the country with a decent opposition, something that has been lacking for so long in Parliament.

Mr Casa is a Nationalist member of the European Parliament.