My opinion piece in the Times of Malta (April 10) seems to have caused quite a stir. Judging from a recent poll on timesofmalta.com, it sparked quite a bit of interest and the idea of a coalition has generally met with approval.

While having nothing really new to add as regards the ongoing negotiations, I think it would not be amiss to clarify a few things and explain the philosophy of why Partit Demokratiku is willing to sign up to a deal.

This newspaper (April 12) carried an excellent analysis of the ramifications of what was revealed and also posed a few questions.

First I would like to make it very clear, PD is not out to gain votes for their candidates to the detriment of those representing the Nationalist Party. Speaking as a future candidate for PD, I will urge voters of the PN in the districts I will contest that if there are valid honest candidates in those districts, vote for them. The same goes to diehard PL supporters.

If you do not find it in your heart to choose another party, do the right thing and choose candidates who are honest and willing to serve their country. Yes, they do exist. I have not mentioned Alternattiva Demokratika yet, as I know in my heart that whoever contests with them does it solely for the love of their country.

Opinion polls published from various sources have shown that there is a consistent if not slowly increasing section of the population who either are unsure which of the two major parties they will vote for or have no intention to vote at all. That number is over 31 per cent of the electorate. Coming so close to a general election, that number is very significant and historically high. It represents the disgruntled and the disenfranchised; people who have lost faith in the current political class and political system of revolving door politics.

We at PD believe we can be the voice for them; give them hope that a coalition government will return their faith in our Parliament. If they fail to turn up at the ballot box, they will be playing straight into the hands of the corrupt politicians who have over the years turned the highest institution in our land into a personal money-making machine. It has got to stop.

Hope is what this prospective coalition offers

Another question posed by Kurt Sansone’s analysis was the issue of cabinet posts. Let us make it absolutely clear. At no time has there been any hint of horse-trading regarding ministerial positions in the event of a PN/PD victory. PD is not about gaining power; the party is about returning power to the people, through parliament, by representing their concerns and acting as a check and balance that no one-party government ruling on its own can offer.

If the coalition is victorious, and if any PD candidates are elected, it will be the prerogative of the future Prime Minister; in this case the leader of the larger party, Simon Busuttil, to choose a PD member of parliament to serve as minister or parliamentary secretary, if he deems them capable. Our party believes in the fundamental need for this country to become a meritocracy; where people advance by ability not by who they know or what political colour they are. We do not expect anything different for ourselves.

Sansone also questioned whether PD candidates would be answerable to the PN whip. PD will be a separate party, but PN/PD will be campaigning on a joint manifesto. As such both parties will be voting together on all issues within that manifesto as previously agreed to.

It must be borne in mind, that if this pre-election agreement is signed: two groups of people coming from different backgrounds – one with decades of history behind it, one brand new; one steeped in tradition, the other trying to think outside the box; one large, the other small – managed to come together for the good of this country and its people. They would have put personal issues and egos aside, they would have dared to challenge the status quo and they would have reached a workable compromise.

If they can do it now, starting from nothing, imagine what can be done when they are working together in parliament. Last year a group of academics at the University of Malta published a survey investigating what was the single, most important issue to the average Maltese. Family was up there, financial stability was there too, but one thing topped the list… hope.

That is what this prospective coalition offers. Hope to all of those who have become emarginated; hope to those who want to see this country move forward in a sustainable way, preserving our natural and man-made treasures; hope for justice and an even playing field for themselves and their children; and hope that future governments will do exactly that: govern, not rule. It can be delivered, it must be delivered.

Anthony Buttigieg is deputy leader of Partit Demokratiku.