With the country going to the polls for the European Parliament representatives, it seems that a substantial number of voters have turned their eyes onto the party leaders rather than the actual candidates to draw a conclusion as to who merits their vote. While this in itself merits a debate in its’ own right, it has also resulted in a manifestation of the campaigning styles of the leaders of the two main political parties.

While one can appreciate the Nationalist Party’s intrepid efforts to try and turn the tables on the last general election result, it is also fair to say that the timing of this election is too soon for the party to expect to be making substantial inroads. Nevertheless, Simon Busuttil has been resolute over the past months in his attempts to reach his target of trying to win the third seat for his party.

Coming from the weakest position possible, he refused to label himself as an ‘underdog’ and instead focused his wholehearted energies on the simplest strategy of all time in politics: meeting people and debating local and European issues.

Flanked by his team of candidates and the administrative arm of the party, Busuttil has led an admirable campaign in far from easy circumstances from an organisational point of view.

Truth be told, eyes are also on the PN’s performance, especially on Busuttil who is once again called upon to deliver. This is yet to be seen but his zeal is not simply a clichéd ‘Positive Energy’ slogan but is the result of his unflinching resolve to deliver a party worthy of being not only in Opposition but also in government.

Joseph Muscat has also been very busy.

It has been fascinating watching the metamorphosis of Muscat over the past year. Long gone are the days of Franciscan temperance, supplicating calls of moderation, transparency and meritocracy. Nowadays, he hails his soldiers of steel – a Mintoffian trademark if there ever was one.

His campaigning style has undergone a curious transformation despite his comfortable majority and the advantage of incumbency.

Muscat pre-March 2013 came across as fresh-faced, cool, innovative and bubbling with energy. The floaters and switchers were simply hooked.

Joseph Muscat’s uneasiness was given away with his summoning of the party’s soldiers of steel

Muscat in May 2014 presents a completely different picture to the electorate. Promises have turned out to be either hollow or misleading, attitudes and behaviours have been disappointing and we have watched uncomfortably as he presented us with one embarrassing blunder after the other.

It is probably safe to say that this upcoming election will ultimately be a judgement on Muscat’s performance in his first year. He is very much aware of this and strives in his speeches to make believe as though he is still the ‘downtrodden’ and ‘persecuted’ one rather than the one wielding the power.

His uneasiness was given away with his summoning of the party’s soldiers of steel. One hears that this attempt to rally the party grassroots stemmed from an increasing sentiment of discontent among party faithful who feel that their leader has not been honest with them and that pre-electoral promises were destined for a chosen few.

It is abundantly clear that the suldati tal-azzar call has ruffled many feathers and has struck a raw nerve that rankles the core traditional Labour voter who has felt more or less sidestepped throughout this year and two months of Labour governance. Conversely, I believe that the Prime Minister should not worry about his other substantial section of party faithful. They will serve him well and deliver the vote of confidence he seeks.

What the Prime Minister should concern himself with are our switchers and thinking voters. These voters will certainly not forgive Muscat for the cash-for-citizenship scheme, for the complete sweep of the posts in the civil service and government-run entities, for the inelegant feeding frenzy of lucrative posts by friends and kin alike, for that goof of a press conference and its 2c worth and for increasing concerns over the signing of the new power station deal, for currying favour with the construction industry to the detriment of the environment... the list carries on and this was all in a year’s work.

A far cry from the solemn promises delivered with such grandiosity in the run-up to the election.

Politician extraordinaire Harold Wilson put it succinctly: a week is a long time in politics.

The coming days could spring some more surprises. Any more rabbits, Mr Prime Minister?

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