Time for a New Left

Andrew Sciberras, Msida

One of the main critiques in respect to Labour's downfall (or, rather, failure to win), along with complacency and a shoddy electoral campaign, is that it offered nothing different than the Nationalist Party. There was no true, credible and viable alternative party for the voter to choose from. This is highly evidenced by the actions of those 21,143 persons who decided not to vote and those 3,415 persons that decided to invalidate their vote. 2008 had the lowest voter turnout since 1971 where in 2008 93.30% of the electorate voted and in 1971 92.93% voted. If the Malta Labour Party was a true and viable alternative than there would be no reason for those tens of thousands of eligible voters to stay at home.

Today, the Malta Labour Party is truly at the crossroads. These are extremely fragile times for the party and if the situation is not handled reasonably (i.e. where the heart overcomes the mind) it risks being shattered once and for all. It risks being eradicated from Maltese politics, if not definitively, for a very long time to come. The party and its people truly need to sit down, unlock the shackles that have both bound it and led it astray, and re-invent itself. It needs to embrace change; however it must do so carefully without risking losing its soul. We, the people, want a party that truly stands for a better society, better opportunities, a better world. We, the people, are not afraid of change. We are not afraid of letting go of obsolete traditions that hinder our progress and solidarity. We are not afraid of straying from the status-quo. We are not afraid of reforming ourselves to the world of today but neither are we afraid to retain our social and democratic principles. The past 21 years (my age) did not truly see a New Left in Malta. But the time has come and it has been long overdue.

Therefore, I equally appeal to party delegates, party members and the common man. Do not abandon reason. Do not let the past dictate your future. Do not let a handful of men and women dictate who your Leader ought to be but don't be afraid to listen to what people have to say. Let us give Malta an alternative that it sorely needs. Let us, in unison, elect a Leader that will truly invigorate Malta with an all-inclusive, winning generation.

Comments

M Camenzuli (1 day, 4 hours ago)

It’s all very nice to appeal for a new Left. But what kind of new Left do we need? Which Left lost the last three general elections and which Left can win the next general election?

I believe the Left that lost the last three elections was not the Left of those who are vulnerable to poverty, those on the margins of our society, the unprivileged. The Left that lost the last three general elections is an arrogant Left that thought it would win by defatult, the Left that is comfy with developers, a bourgeois Left, our own version of the gauche caviar with its own version of ‘hbieb tal-hbieb’.

What Malta needs a real Left that has a soul, that would be a real alternative to the Nationalists and not a poor copy of them. This new Left cannot be found in the Labour party machine or its media, full as they are with the new bourgeoisie.

What Malta needs is clean sweep at the Labour party headquarters and media. Then a new Left can rise from the ashes of the last three very painful defeats Labour has suffered.