Expanding democracy

Over the last few weeks, during the MLP leadership contest campaign, we heard a lot of nonsense about our fellow Maltese who live or study abroad. These fellow citizens are the latest target of the Labour Party. Their cannon have been turned on them.

It's amazing how the MLP is so capable of creating enemies in different sectors. During the general election campaign, university students were the target. Now, after the election, it's the turn of the Maltese who live abroad.

Instead of thanking the Maltese living abroad for doing their duty and coming over to vote in the election, they have become the target of all kinds of threats by the main exponents of the MLP. The outgoing MLP leader himself, Alfred Sant, mentioned the subject in Parliament and said that he "has" a list of the people who did their duty by coming to Malta to vote. Obviously, the subtle message was a threatening one. Our fellow Maltese living abroad should not feel threatened by such unethical tactics.

The Labour exponents are simply clutching at straws to alienate their voters from the real reason why they lost the election after 20 years in opposition: the fact that they were not trusted by the Maltese electorate over and over again.

It's amazing that while the Nationalist Party is always thinking of ways to strengthen democracy, the MLP is constantly in a destructive mood. Their revenge urge easily takes over and they constantly think of ways to restrict democracy. They crave government control - big government and individual restrictions. For years they have insisted on reintroducing the embarkation cards when circumstances dictated otherwise.

They claim to be European but act completely the opposite. It's amazing how, at the end of the day, the paranoid, control freak Labour mentality prevails. While the European Union is all about individual freedom and less government involvement, the MLP is obsessed with following our movements and knowing where we live and where we work.

They have not even realised that we form part of the Schengen Treaty and that we have the right to live in, work and travel at will to all the countries within the EU. This concept is accepted by everyone except the MLP. They claim to be European only when it's convenient and as part of their PR campaign. Being European, thinking European and acting European is much more than that.

Most modern democracies are constantly thinking up ways of widening their democracy by expanding the electorate base. They are also thinking of new ways to vote. Are these new methods beyond the comprehension of the MLP? Given their control freak paranoia, will they ever accept any change in the way we vote?

Countries like the US, Italy and the UK allow numerous citizens in addition to the ones residing in the country to vote. In Italy, a number of seats in the chambers are reserved for representatives of Italians living abroad. The same concept applies to the US and UK citizens.

In the US primaries, US residents and registered voters are allowed to download their voting document from the internet and send it in by mail.

Residence is not defined only as physical habitation. It also comprises residents living abroad. Today, the term residence is expanded to its widest definition possible.

No political party will be able to sabotage our freedoms and the rights we gained through EU membership. EU freedom of movement is here to stay irrespective of whether or not this concept irritates the MLP. They have no business to interfere in our lives and in our freedom of movement.

The MLP tried to jeopardise and stop fellow Maltese from voting in 2003 during the referendum campaign but they lost the court case. Definition of residence was not restricted but broadened by the Maltese courts.

We should not be surprised that the MLP behaves like this, given the way they act within the party itself.

Each clique tries to destroy the other. They are paranoid and this behaviour reflects on the way they look at the Maltese citizens.

Hopefully, in the future, the political parties will keep on expanding the electoral base and finding new ways for Maltese citizens to express their electoral choices. Change is inevitable.

We should encourage our citizens to broaden their horizons. They can venture beyond our shores, study and work abroad. For this they should not be punished.

I am sure most of them remain in close contact with Malta; they stay abreast of what's happening in the country and maintain a keen interest.

At the end of the day we should be grateful for these voters who travelled to Malta to exercise their right to vote.

Mr Agius is the Nationalist Party's parliamentary whip.