Individual before party

With the European Parliament election campaign now in full swing, it is appropriate to do some serious reflecting. This has to be done in the context of both issues and candidates. We now know exactly who the two main parties have chosen to stand for them.

Obviously, there are a small number of candidates from other parties, although these are not expected to go very far; except perhaps - but unlikely this time, unlike the last - Arnold Cassola (and what about the maverick Norman Lowell who, at the time of writing, notwithstanding his criminal record, had the audacity to submit his nomination which, however, is very likely to be thrown out by the Electoral Commission). There are two sizable groups (at least relatively to Malta's quota in the EP). Both parties have chosen carefully this time. While retaining the incumbent members (save for Joseph Muscat, of course), they have gone for some select candidates. And one must perforce compare.

The Nationalist Party has purposely laid out an open platform based on two pillars. One, a wide spectrum of professions, vocations, skills and backgrounds (with a couple of surprises thrown in for the excitement). People who, as for some 65 per cent, are new candidates. People who have an open mind. People who have criticised their own sponsoring party without any reservations in the past. People who are largely respected by those who have a mind of their own. Two, the message is clear. The PN MEPs are not there to serve the party but to serve the citizens who elect them. It is quite normal, and indeed very important, for a candidate to stand on a party ticket - that gives him the infrastructure, the organisation and hence the strength. But that does not mean that he does not have a mind of his own. Just look at the exposure the PN candidates have been given. They have been given ample space to speak at public meetings with their party leader. They have held activities of their own where they have not stood back from criticising the government.

The problem I perceive with the Labour Party candidates relates precisely to exposure - or rather the lack of it. The euphoria (misguided?) with new party leader Dr Muscat (anchored as he is, however, by the triumvirate around him) has led to an apparent policy of ensuring that he does all the talking, while the professors, businesswomen, wine bar operators, eurosceptics, frequent travellers (often during EP sessions) to all exotic places, etc, (somewhat of a motley lot on the whole) are kept in the background.

It is truly ironic that the Malta Labour Party or Alfred Sant's New Labour (not Partit Laburista at the time) only a year ago accused the Prime Minister of hiding his then Cabinet! If my only choice was to vote for Labour MEPs and I chose not to abstain, I could find one or possibly two who I might give my vote to. But then it is not only the PL which is contesting. And I don't want people who are there for the Brussels gravy train (and I know a bit about Brussels; though at my own expense, not the EP's), people with grudges against the government, people who have been in the Labour closet all their lives, only to emerge - cobwebs and all - now, people who fought tooth and nail against EU membership (just like the guy with the "new horizons").

What readers must realise (and I do not want to be patronising about this) is that the European Parliament does not represent national political parties. It represents citizens, and it represents citizens directly - not through the party. The party is there to provide the ticket. When a Maltese MEP goes to Brussels (or Strasbourg, of course) he/she will join a political grouping or political party in the EP - be it the European Popular Party-European Democrats, the Socialists, the Liberals, the Greens etc. The PN and the PL do not exist in the EP. Hence, the importance of voting for the individual, not the party. Our electorate must look at the candidate, his personality, his knowledge and, where appropriate, his track record. I will be seen as being very naïve to state that one should not vote on party lines, especially in this polarised country (although not so much anymore).

But the reasoning that Labour must get a majority over Nationalist or vice versa is a falsity. Look at the individual. Choose people with an open mind, who are capable of challenging and questioning even their party's policies or lines of action; not people who do not speak out and just toe the party line in order to get a cushy position.