Lino Spiteri
Puddings and pies
The final countdown tells the story. It happened as expected, only more so. The Nationalist Party (PN) was mercilessly punished by the voters - its voters. While Labour grassroots turned out wholesale, many Nationalists either did not pick or cast their vote or, if they did go to polling booth, voted Labour by an unusual margin.
The portends were there for all to see, as the Prime Minister did and practically said so. His dead pan face told more than that on television in his Broadcasting Authority confrontation with the Labour leader.
I had a personal preview of the coming bloodbath when I dropped in at election-eve drinks organised by friends of Louis Grech for their Labour hero. A lawyer well known for his staunch Nationalist beliefs could hardly contain himself. "I feel as if I am at a Nationalist meeting," he told me. Allowing for a few Labourite exceptions, it was a succinct description of the evening.
On Saturday, the die was cast more solidly with each vote of the low turn-out pushed through the ballot box. So, what happens now? No doubt, the Prime Minister and his team will contemplate the implications of their defeat, starting with today's scheduled Cabinet meeting.
Lawrence Gonzi will reiterate that the PN paid the price for the government doing what it had to do. His apologists will point out, though he will draw no relief from it, that throughout the EU voters in the low turn-out were led by national feelings of discontent with the sitting government and not by an evaluation of who would represent them best in the European Parliament.
If the Prime Minister and those he trusts bother to step back and view the mess with some humility, they might draw another obvious conclusion: the PN campaign was abysmal, based first on rubbishing the Labour candidates and then on offering Euro-pie in the sky in competition with Labour's own domestic pies.
Voters may have suffered from blurred vision brought about by indigestion from too much all-party propaganda stuffed down their throat. But not so much that they did not recognise unreachable pie when offered to them. Few were taken in by the PN rhetoric that its MEPs would create jobs for Malta.
Those who voted Labour not out of shared values and conviction but in protest again the government will now have to wait along with the over-the-moon Labour grassroots to see what happens next. For both sets of voters the proof of the pudding will be in the eating, as always. Will the EP election result make a difference to local politics in a meaningful sense, that is, one judged by practical results?
That is what the Labour and Opposition leader promised. Joseph Muscat did not pitch for when Labour will, on present showing, be in government four years down the road. He spoke of the here and now.
He was not foolish like the Nationalists and did not say that Labour MEPs would create jobs. He concentrated on beating the drum of discontent with the government but closed the campaign with a strong brush painting his MEPs as efficient and relevant to Malta's needs.
Will they actually make a difference through domestic gain? Will they procure more and better results for Malta by their actions in the European Parliament? The measure of that will not be the extent to which MEPs manage to embarrass the government in Brussels on actual or perceived shortcomings. The Labour campaign ensured that the pudding it offered was made of domestic ingredients. The proof of eating that pudding will be its domestic effect.
The EP elections and outcome mark the beginning of another phase in local politics, for both the main parties. How that will impact on the domestic scene and well-being and on the treatment Malta will get from the EU will be seen as the multiple courses of the coming meal unfold. If you can be bothered at all, try not to lose sight of the pre-election menus.
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O. Farrugia
Jun 8th 2009, 22:48
National feelings of discontent with the sitting government - after just a year and with a 1500 vote victory - goes to show the level of competence of our politicians in this country. In my opinion politics are all for personal gain because when the country gains, the people rarely understand anyway!
Now we are sending our MPs to Europe - is it so domestic? MEPs are gathered by political affiliation and represent the interest of European citizens and not the interests of member states. So we the people should see what's about to happen to Europe now that we joined! If you look closely, Europe for our children in the next 25 years will not be the one we know today!
Our local political crisis is the result that the MALTESE today do not think of ONE COUNTRY but are driven by a partisan division between PL and PN. The REAL MALTESE managed to beat the Turks in 1565 when they acted as ONE, and were awarded the George Cross in World War II because the people acted as a NATION. We do not need others to rule us, right. But these politicians, HOW PATRIOTIC ARE THEY?
Steven Brockwell
Jun 8th 2009, 19:12
M.Farrugia wake up the facts are in front of you? are they not. if pn supporters did not vote what does that mean ??????? they are happy with gonzi politics or are they not. now if you were smart and not brain washed you would have done the same ??? not vote simple as that grow up and get real.
M.Farrugia
Jun 8th 2009, 16:09
Dear Mr Spiteri Do not try to fool yourself and readers. While no one can deny that PN voters simply did not vote in this election, there is no proof that the PL managed to attact PN voters, infact the PL got 6000 less votes than it obtained in the 2008 elections, so it may infact have lost some of its own votes, let alone attracted PN votes.In the 2008 election, MLP obtained 141000 votes and yesterday it obtained 135000 votes. Seeing yesterday's revellers in our streets, no wonder few are those who want to associate themselves with the PL although they are reluctant to vote PN.
Joseph Scicluna
Jun 8th 2009, 14:49
f.j. brincat. let me think it over as i cannot find any answer to your query? what a silly question!
F J Brincat
Jun 8th 2009, 13:24
Joseph Scicluna; So, in your opinion, how has the world recession - which you say has not hit us as badly as other countries – had any bearing in the Maltese MEP elections?
N.Farrugia
Jun 8th 2009, 12:56
It's no surprise at all that Lino Spiteri is so euphoric this morning. He has long been waiting to explode with joy. Throughout all these years Lino was wise enough to mix his feelings in very diplomatic ways. Maybe he has blown his trumpet too early because after all everything will remain the same, if not even worse for PL if the PN wins the sixth seat. Furthermore these European elections are taken with a pinch of salt by the vast majority of European voters. Malta was not even given a mention in all news bullitins on BBC, Euronews and CNN,
Joseph Scicluna
Jun 8th 2009, 12:04
reading all this bla bla bla, dear lino you forgot that this election came just one year of the gonzi govt., and what's more have you not realized yet that the whole world is passing through one of the worst recessions. in malta we have not reached the depths as other much bigger and stronger nations.
Wayne Pace
Jun 8th 2009, 11:45
For the very first time in years, people are asking for changes in the PN rather than in the PL. The MLP was criticised for its leader, lack of proposals and lack of credibilty. PN was always praised for the way it always managed to keep everything undercontrol. While Muscat is getting back credibilty and is giving propsals - rather than just negatively criticising the government, PN seem to have lost touch with the people. It is very clear that this PN is weaker and much less effective than the EFA party or the very very first gonziPN. These EP elections have a very clear result. Getting a historic 35,000 votes more than his rival, especially just after a year being the new PL leader, Muscat is showing he's on the right track. There's still a lot to do. But honestly, is there anything which he could have done better till now? People are really believing in him as a very good and credible leader. While the leader who is being criticised most for his lack of credibilty is Gonzi. Did he really lose control? Is he the new Alfred Sant?
D. Muscat
Jun 8th 2009, 11:13
Dear Lino,
don't rush into conclusions. After all Joseph's New Progessive Movement or Coalition may well be aborted just after 7 days. I think that the PN's expected losses at the Local Elections will not be that bad & Labour may actually lose two or more localities (with the exception of Mtarfa which is a sui generis case). If this really happens Muscat's new born fantasy coalition will die prematurely much his his embarassment.
I personally think that Muscat risked to much blabbering about this so called new anti-PN movement. He should have waited the local councils results
realistic
Joe Micallef
Jun 8th 2009, 11:05
….and analytical Qassatat (2)
- The margin of error when trying to project this vote to that of a general election is simply huge.
- The fact that PL lost 6000 votes when compared to EP elections of 2004 seems irrelevant to Mr.Spiteri.
- He conveniently overlooks the strong vote of no-confidence in the PL EP representatives of the previous legislature. The only one who improved his performance still was not elected on the first count.
- That the MLP and AD expectations have been totally wronged. If both MLP and AD were not convinced of a larger win they would have not jumped onto the PM proposal for the determination of the sixth seat like year long fasting vultures.
- He fails to mention that the Socialist movement in the EU is in tatters. That is understandable as he belongs to that movement and its failed ideology.
A very disappointing evaluation indeed, again unless he is playing…
Joe Micallef
Jun 8th 2009, 11:05
….and analytical Qassatat (1)
Unless he is playing some very cryptic games Lino Spiteri seems relieved by the fact that Dr.Sant is conjugated in the past. His back of the paper (which does not qualify for a back of the envelope level) contribution shows that he is back to his glorious past when evaluations where very superficial. The biggest joke of this contribution certainly lies in the first two paragraphs where in the first he draws an own theory of why the result materialised and in the second he mentions someone else’s observations as proof to it.
In the rest of the piece whilst analysing the PN side of result, he “gracefully” omits a number of points which would make a more complete evaluation
- That at least 20-25% did not vote. It is difficult not to realise (and district turnout percentages clearly point in that direction) that the wide majority of these people usually vote PN, and who whilst disillusioned by the administration they put in power are (a year on and that is VERY telling) are reluctant to vote for the PL despite the highly emotional charged yet once again void-of-substance campaign.
Leo Said
Jun 8th 2009, 10:38
Interesting views as always and quite appropriately entitled "Puddings and Pies".
However, the result in Malta will hardly affect the daily business of the European Parliament considering that the EPP still have the European majority.
Of course, the result in Malta should rattle and shake the incumbent Prime Minister, his ministers and his party. Lawrence Gonzi MUST ACT INTRA-PARTY.
The responsibility rests on Gonzi's shoulders. Lawrence Gonzi cannot afford any degree/element of anarchic indiscipline within his party. A degree /element of anarchic indiscipline in the NP has long been discernible and/or blatantly existing, more so, combined with a loss for solutions with regard to very urgent issues.
On the other hand, Dr.Joseph Muscat and his LP and their media still have a lot to learn.
Benjamin Pule'
Jun 8th 2009, 10:34
A very good analysis of last Saturday's voting turnout and PN's electoral campaign. Nationalist supporters definitely deserve more than that shabby and old-fashioned strategy. I expect the Government's post-mortem be done carefully and with great diligence in the internal structures of the party, but also (and more importantly) with its disgruntled supporters.