A coalition government is “pie in the sky” and not a topic for discussion, according to Alternattiva Demokratika chairman Arnold Cassola.
Prof. Cassola was approached after Opposition leader Simon Busuttil said on Tuesday’s edition of Times Talk that he would not rule out the possibility of forming a coalition with AD prior to the next election.
Prof. Cassola said he had “no reaction”, adding he would not be drawn into speculation and “science fiction “We are focusing on the here and now: the local council elections and the spring hunting referendum. The general election is far off. It’s not a matter up for discussion.”
However, political observers do not believe a coalition government is impossible.
Historian Henry Frendo said the idea should not be dismissed because it had happened twice in the 1950s under George Borg Olivier, who formed a coalition government with the Malta Workers’ Party.
There was talk of a coalition government at the time of the EU membership referendum in 2003, when then prime minister Eddie Fenech Adami was toying with the idea of giving a seat to AD, a move which he ultimately decided against.
“Parties tend to minimise the contribution of other parties but that can’t be dismissed,” Prof. Frendo noted.
“Toni Abela and Wenzu Mintoff left the Labour Party to join AD but then returned to Labour. AD has had a number of pioneering ideas. It was the first to speak about prioritising the environment and it always campaigned in favour of introducing divorce. You can’t exclude from public opinion what a third party has been advocating,” he added.
On a political level, Malta’s is a convergence of ideas. AD commands a small percentage of votes and could therefore make a difference. Politics, Prof. Frendo said, has always been the “art of the possible”.
Parties tend to minimise the contribution of other parties but that can’t be dismissed
To illustrate his point, Prof. Frendo pointed out that, in the spring hunting referendum debate, both Joseph Muscat and Simon Busuttil expressed themselves in favour of the derogation allowing the practice.
AD, he went on, was the party behind the collection of the signatures for the petition: “It’s essentially an AD referendum. If the pro-spring hunting lobby loses, we could see a new departure whereby AD could find more support among more voters.”
Political observer Hermann Schiavone noted that, in the world of politics, what could seem impossible now may well not be excluded from happening in the near future.
A number of countries have witnessed the germination of new parties that continue to grow steadily and are now running a country. One example is Greece, he said.
“We’ve had a type of coalition in the past. In 1992, MP Wenzu Mintoff resigned from the Labour Party to join AD.
“In 2012, Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando resigned from the PN to become an independent MP. The government had to essentially consult with him before passing any changes in laws. While I see the difficulty in breaking the current mould, a small majority can result in a coalition government,” Dr Schiavone said.
In 2013, then prime minister Lawrence Gonzi and Joseph Muscat, who was Opposition leader at the time, both said they would be willing to govern in a coalition.
In early 2008, AD expressed confidence it could form part of the first coalition government in 41 years.
However, Dr Gonzi brushed aside the possibility of an alliance between the PN and AD.