AD asks to be included in talks on democracy

Romano Cassar

Aug 5th 2008, 10:36

Amending the constitution and the electoral law to ensure fair representation is very much overdue. However the two large parties are only looking out for their interests, no matter what they say (as an example, the pensions cap does not apply to members of parliament). Change will probably only be brought about if enough people call the bluff of the large parties and vote AD.

B.Borg

Aug 5th 2008, 08:09

@ C. Camilleri, please my read again my comment, I only pointed out the fact that this government was elected legally and according to our Constitution by obtaining the highest number of votes. Honestly, I have no problem to accept this fact.

And yes, you, I and all of us should always remind this Government with his slim margin to deliver and keep the all promises made to us, the electorate before the election (is something wrong in this?).

Vikki Attard

Aug 4th 2008, 18:28

In a truly democratic environment there would be no question of excluding AD from the talks. The fact that AD should have to write to the Speaker of the House to point out that it should be able to participate is a dire indictment of the state of democracy in this country

Jo Said

Aug 4th 2008, 18:09

I fully agree with what Stephen Cachia said about the talks on democracy. I also had pointed out in the press that the two big parties should stop going to bed together over this issue. Democracy belongs to all of us and not just to some schemers who hide in a dark room at the palace, somewhere, to sketch their own fate.

Alternattiva Demokratika has been a roaring motor over the last two decades and no one should even dare open discussions without AD's presence. The government of the day has no principles and therefore cannot be trusted. With 47% of the valid votes cast last March, the PN is in a worst position than Labour was during the eighties. The only difference is that they legalised the possibility of the minority governing against the majority's will. Morally? That's another story.

Wolfgang Helm

Aug 4th 2008, 14:19

From an European point of view I would support a participation of AD (and other non elected parties) in the negotiations on the reform of the electoral system in Malta. A non-partisan approach to tackling the problem could help to improve the political climate and could strengthen confidence in democracy at all.

Henrik Piski

Aug 3rd 2008, 22:13

It is evident that we are not living in a very democratic society in Malta when the actual government is having the majority of seats in Parliament despite the fact that PN has not reached the 50%+ mark during the last elections. Excluding the non elected parties from the discussions of the revision of the electoral system and the political parties financing shows how underdeveloped the understanding of democracy is in the parties represented at Parliament.

Sabine Cassar-Alpert

Aug 3rd 2008, 21:40

I think it's about time Malta put an end to its half-half partisan divide. Having the AD (and indeed, all other registered parties, as Mr Büttner and Ms Richards said) participate in talks about democracy should be the natural course of action. Denying other political parties access to such discussions puts a big question mark over the very topic of these talks!

J. Borg

Aug 3rd 2008, 21:23

Somehow Labour and PN propaganda machines (and the latter much more), always try to distort facts to fit in their own partisan objectives - at times it is blatant but still cheekily go on.
I sincerely hope that Joseph Muscat wants to implement change, but facing the PN propaganda is quite a tall order.
It is evident that having at least AD in the equation, will lead a credible and objective analysis of what would be going on in these discussions and all the manoeuvres in between.
AD played an important role in EU accession debate - and its direct participation in hopefully these delicate change initiatives would again prove instrumental in enabling liberal thinkers and voters reach their own conclusions.

Oisin Jones-Dillon

Aug 3rd 2008, 21:19

Effective democratic governability, as opposed to authoritarian instability, is necessarily predicated on ALL party consensus on the electoral mechanism and political party financing to actualize that outcome.

Mary Anne Zammit

Aug 3rd 2008, 21:06

From a civilized country which is part of the European Union I expect more respect to democracy and it would be highly unfair to leave out Alternattiva Demokratika in participating in the talks on the reform of the electoral system. AD may still not yet have a seat in parliament but as mentioned it represents two and half times the difference between the two parties, so even for the sake of those who voted for AD or those who want to see justice in practice.

Martin Büttner

Aug 3rd 2008, 21:00

Too many people think that they would help the other party, if the voted for a small party (AD for example). If all these people voted for AD, it would have entered parliament already many years ago.

mark causon

Aug 3rd 2008, 20:56

Dr Joseph Muscat leader of the opposition recognised the importance of having Alternattiva Demokratika not just conculted with, but also party to discussions on electoral reforms and party financing, therefor if we truely believe in democracy and not just on paper but with actions, what is keeping the government from including Alternattiva Demokratika to be part of the discussions.

Joe Vella

Aug 3rd 2008, 20:50

What is holding the AD and other Parties from making submissions to the Parliamentary Committee that have been struck.

Gerald Fenech

Aug 3rd 2008, 20:18

It is obviously important for AD to participate in the talks but there is no doubt that at the end of the day, the final decision will definitely suit the large parties' interests. Our bizarre electoral system is a mockery of democracy and it is in need of serious change but with the status quo prevailaing, nothing much can be done.

W. Wirth

Aug 3rd 2008, 20:17

I never voted to AD. Am always afraid that by voting AD, I will be helping the 'other' party to win.

But I think that the attitude of some nats here (read C. Camilleri below) makes me realize how blinded we Maltese are.

This summer I met my friends from Luxembourg and explained to us the advances their country makes due to the fact that it got a multi-party representation.

Carmel Cacopardo

Aug 3rd 2008, 19:28

The point to be made on the current state of Malta's electoral laws is that it ensures proporionality only for the PN and the MLP and ignores everyone else. This is the result of the current parliamentary parties deliberately obstructing other parties from making it to parliament by formulating the current rules between them.

What is required is a consensus on the applicable mechanisms between all the political parties and subsequently ratified by Parliament. This would entail striking a reasonable balance between proportionality and governability.

Effectively this should mean identifying a reasonable threshold which if attained would translate into parliamentary representation.

Margaret Richards

Aug 3rd 2008, 18:59

In his renowned book Animal Farm, George Orwell wrote "All Animals are equal but some are more equal than others"..................i hope this won't be the case with democracy in Malta. I believe that in a democratic society, even more where the government was elected by a relative and not an absolute majority, ALL parties should take part in discussions, even more since these discussions are related to Democracy in our country. So yes I fully believe that AD should be not only present but also enjoys the right to put forward any relevant suggestions and point of view.

C. Camilleri

Aug 3rd 2008, 17:45

@ B.Borg. Please stop this nonsense and admit that the PN was elected to Government legally and according to our Constitution. Many other Governments in other Democracies were elected similarly and go on with their work without having people like you reminding them of their majority of votes. In 1979 the Conservative Party obtained 339 seats out of a total of 635 with only 43.9%. Nobody in the UK had ever doubted M.Thatcher legitimacy to Government. In other European countries we often have Governments with only relative majority.So please Mr. Borg and others accept the situation because you are only hurting yourselves.

Martin Büttner

Aug 3rd 2008, 16:05

As all registered political parties will be affected by any changes in the electoral system, all those registered parties should also be invited to participate in the discussions about eventual changes. Allowing only the parties represented in parliament would make such discussions just another theatre play. It is a known fact that neither PN nor MLP are really interested to change the actual electoral system as it could really lead to a parliament with more than just 2 parties. But only that would mean real democracy and progress in the Maltese political scene, a development which Malta as a nation needs!

B.Borg

Aug 3rd 2008, 15:33

@Malcolm Seychell

This goverment was elected with the highest number of votes, but did not obtain the votes of majority of the people, something this government should never forget.

Dr. John Zammit

Aug 3rd 2008, 12:08

Even other political parties should take part as long as they are really contesting the elections and though small so that they have the same rights like the big parties and this should be a copy of the European Parliament which include all the eight groups. Conservatives, Socialists, Liberals, Greens, Communists (if any in Malta) extreme right and the others. In Malta with the Malta Labour Party and Nationalist Party we have Alternattiva Demokratika, Alleanza Liberal Demokratika, Azzjoni Nazzjonali, Alpha, Norman Lowell's party and probably the Communists - Zminijietna.

Dion Borg

Aug 3rd 2008, 12:00

Whilst Dr. Joseph Muscat’s insistence to improve democracy in our country is to be commended – unfortunately historically both main parties have sought their own interests at the expense of the national democratic interest time and again.
Dr. Muscat has the opportunity to prove that he is truly invigorating the Labour party and Malta’ politics, by ensuring that discussions about democracy commence and continue on a democratic footnote.
In this regard, the customary nauseating PN-MLP charades should be dispelled and all those who have proved that they have an honest contribution to make be an integral part of the discussions and more importantly, of the subsequent implementation of the overdue changes to ensure democratic representation.

Malcolm Seychell

Aug 3rd 2008, 10:14

I think every party has a right to participate in talks about democracy if we really believe in democracy.

Obviously the goverment can have the last say since he was elected by the majority of the people