Editorial
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Politics is all about the people
Given the unwavering opinion polls in recent months, it was no surprise that the Labour Party was swept into government yesterday. The historic majority it managed to garner, however, was beyond even its expectations. Why Labour won the 2013 general...
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Now, back to business
The long electoral campaign is over, Malta has voted and the result will be known today. We hope the winning party will be humble in victory and the losing party gracious in defeat. We also hope the supporters celebrating their party’s victory will...
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Time for voters to make their choice
Malta’s voting system, known as the Single Transferable Vote, may have its disadvantages but it gives the power and, also, the advantage to the electorate to be more selective in the election of the politicians whom it wants to represent it in...
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Some thoughts on ‘reflection day’
In article 19, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights lays down that “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and...
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No one should take voting lightly
The political storm is almost over. Now two days of calm before a fresh storm engulfs Malta on Sunday. Voters who have not yet made up their minds – according to the polls there are still quite a few – must consider their options carefully when...
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See the elephant in the room
It is not the impressive turnouts at this week’s mass meetings of the two main parties that will determine which of the two will win the election but the ever widening swathe of uncommitted voters and the band of 19,000 new electors. All polls...
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How the free press is muzzled
It’s funny how certain people in the political scene decide something is important only when it personally affects them. Criminal libel has been on the statute books in Malta for years, yet it was only when Labour candidate Manuel Mallia foolishly...
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Politicians: the good and the bad
Skills in political oratory can carry an aspiring politician far in his career and can indeed win him a seat in Parliament, but it is generally honesty that most people look for first. Of course, one can take a cynical view of the question, arguing,...
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Finish line in sight
As the electoral campaign draws to a close in the coming days, the overwhelming sensation among the majority of voters is unlikely to be satisfaction, but relief that this tediously long episode is finally drawing to a close. Weariness is evident...
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The fear to tackle the sacred cows
Our front page story citing hunting officials claiming to have come close to signing a “memorandum of understanding” to endorse Labour is very worrying. It is even worse than Joseph Muscat’s reply to a question on whether his government would...
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Please respect voters’ intelligence
Dirty tricks, mud-slinging and a big dose of rhetoric are part of political parties’ armouries, more so during an electoral campaign. The electorate is, most of the time, willing to accept that. What, however, it will definitely resist – and...
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EU economic forecasts for Malta
When, just over a month ago, Standard and Poor’s downgraded Malta’s long-term credit rating, the two main political parties blamed each other for the move but the furore died out in no time as they were more interested in matters that could make...
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Italy leaves Europe in suspended animation
What many had feared, though hoped against hope would not happen, has, unfortunately, occurred. The election held on Saturday and Sunday has thrown Italy into uncertainty. It now faces the prospect of ungovernability and, as a result, the omen of...
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A strategy to promote youth employment
The current economic slowdown in Europe has stimulated political action to find ways of easing the entry of young people in the labour market. In some EU countries like Italy, Portugal and Spain youth unemployment exceeds the 25 per cent mark. In...
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More transparency in football
Five years ago, the Malta Football Association’s top echelons had ignored a letter alleging the association misappropriated funds from the European football association. Norman Darmanin Demajo had claimed that the MFA was retaining some of the UEFA...
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Scandals and plots take over
As scandals and plots mushroom, libel suits fly and tempers rise, many voters are perplexed at how the election campaign is developing in its last phase before polling day on March 9. They are also bored stiff. The campaign has been far too long and...
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Energy reliance blunts economic drive
The debate on various aspects of the country’s national energy policy will continue for some time as new information on energy consumption and costs are revealed. Recently, Eurostat reminded us that Malta has the highest energy dependence rate in...
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Strong anti-corruption mechanisms
As the general election gets closer, it is corruption and other ‘scandals’ that are taking centre stage of the campaign, rather than the programmes proposed by the political parties. This is no different from what usually happens in most other...
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Drugs case increases pressure on PL
In the past few days the two main political parties have each had to contend with a major issue that reflected upon their values, upon the quality of their administration and upon their relationship with the truth. For the Nationalist Party, it was...
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A people’s way to constitutional change
The republican Constitution of 1974 was updated on various occasions in its 39-year history but, every time, change was forced by controversial circumstances. The most notable change came in 1987 when, after very long turbulent years characterised...
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