Last Sunday I wrote that “what is happening is not only greatly embarrassing the PN but is bringing the whole political class in disrepute”. The editor reserved harsh words for these shenanigans, calling them “gutter politics”; as strong a term as that used by Mario de Marco: “(dis)honourable politics”.
If politicians constantly call each other corrupt or inefficient, does anyone blame us for thinking the same?- Fr Joe Borg
De Marco added: “The biggest victim of all this has been the political class in general. Who is going to take politics and politicians seriously? Who is going to want to enter politics?”
I do not want to be or sound simplistic. I know and freely admit that the crisis the political class in Malta is going through is similar to what is happening in other countries. What I write about Malta can also be written about elsewhere.
For obvious reasons my interest lies in Malta. The future of our political class is tied to the future of our country; and in more sense than one. What is happening to our political class reflects – to an extent – what is happening in our country. Perhaps I am hopelessly nostalgic, but my take is that the political class of 20 years ago had more stalwarts within it that it holds today.
The current malaise of the political class has long been germinating. It is partly the manifestation of a society that values individualism over solidarity, egoism over community, the ‘what I can get’ mentality over the ‘what I can give’ attitude.
There is a silver lining, as part of the crisis could also be because today civil society has developed so much that it has become a feasible and less thorny alternative way of serving society, so some prefer this forum to the political one.
The crisis could also be the result of the internecine bitter infighting between politicians of different political persuasion and politicians of the same stripe. If politicians constantly call each other corrupt or inefficient, does anyone blame us for thinking the same?
The antics of certain politicians are giving credibility to Albert Camus’ opinion that “politics and the fate of men are shaped by men without ideals and without greatness”. Politics seems to be only good for those with an extra thick skin or with less than pure intentions.
Fortunately we still have politicians with both a thick skin and noble intentions. Political parties have become more efficient, more organised, more – how should I say it – managerial. That’s the mantra today, isn’t it?
They have much more format and are slicker. They are fuelled by opinion polls and steered by foreign communications consultants. Informality is shunned and nothing is left to chance. But do political parties have a more developed vision and a nobler soul? I doubt it. It should not be like that.
In May, on the occasion of the presentation of the Robert Schuman Medal to Emeritus President Eddie Fenech Adami by Joseph Daul, chairman of the EPP Group in the European Parliament, Louis Galea delivered a most enlightening speech. He spoke of two different visionary projects which today are facing challenges: the European Union and Christian Democracy.
The first is a political reality today adopted – albeit in different levels of commitment – by all political leaders in our country. It is commonly accepted, I think, that the vision of the Founding Fathers is not as clear as it once was. This defocusing of the political vision and its ethical underpinning is largely responsible for economic crisis that is threatening to dismantle the whole edifice.
The Christian Democratic project, on the other hand, does not have the same level of support as the EU, and this is as things should be.
There are other political visions and options open to all, even to Christians. But it was right for Galea to challenge his political family on its roots, its soul and its vision. However, the questions Galea addressed to his political family (and which I discuss at greater length on my blog on www.timesofmalta.com) are pertinent to the whole political class:
“What ‘world view’ is going to guide us? What do we stand for? What do we want to be? Do we really believe we still have something special, particular to contribute to influence the course of history? Are we still willing to stay true to our core values and principles? Or is it the case today that we are becoming indifferent to the source that inspires us in our perennial engagement to transform society? What world view, what compass, guides our minds and hearts?”
The writings, and more important, the actions of Luigi Sturzo, Robert Schuman, Alcide de Gasperi and Konrad Adenauer should be among the beacons that help politicians of a Christian Democratic (today Popular Party) answer these questions within the parameters of current situations and developments. Other political movements would guide themselves by other mentors.
It is only if our political class manages to give the right answers to these questions that it can be saved.
• It’s holiday time. We relax, rest from work and have more leisure time. However, there is at least one aspect of our lives that, according to the Vatican, we should not relax from while on holiday. Thou shalt not relax your commitment to saving energy and protecting the environment; a message from the Pontifical Council for Migrants and Travellers says.
The following extended quote says it all:
“It is necessary to cultivate the ethics of responsibility and prudence and to ask ourselves about the impact and consequences of our actions.
“The Holy Father says: ‘The way humanity treats the environment influences the way it treats itself, and vice-versa. This invites contemporary society to a serious review of its lifestyle, which, in many parts of the world, is prone to hedonism and consumerism, regardless of their harmful consequences’...
“It is crucial ‘to encourage more sober lifestyles, while reducing their energy consumption and improving its efficiency’.
“These underlying ideas must necessarily be translated into concrete actions. Therefore, and with the objective of making the tourist destinations sustainable, all initiatives that are energy efficient and have the least environmental impact possible and lead to using renewable energies, should be promoted and supported to promote the saving of resources and avoiding contamination.”
joseph.borg@um.edu.mt