Malta, like Italy, is in the thick of an election campaign. The styles of campaigning will be different as the circumstances leading to these elections could not have been more diverse then they are.

Rating agencies will keep reminding us of the obstacles we face in our quest for prosperity- John Cassar White

Italy has just ended a short experience with a technical government that had to implement some tough measures to save Italy from bankruptcy. A multitude of political formations are trying to strike last-minute deals to secure a place in the next administration.

In our case we have a government that has been in power almost uninterruptedly for a quarter of a century. The incumbent party has an effective tool to lure voters to extend this long period of almost uninterrupted governance by trying to create the ‘feel good factor’ – the Holy Grail of all outgoing administrations seeking re-election.

The feel good factor has been defined as the ‘collective feeling of well-being on an electorate; a high one supposedly favouring the incumbent party in an election’. It is not a phenomenon that is linked exclusively to politics. In fact, it is a marketing tool that is used by all those aiming to win customer loyalty and support.

The tactics used to promote a feel good factor are not new. The Roman satirist and poet Juvenal originated the phrase ‘panem et circenses’ – bread and circuses. Wikipedia, the online encyclopaedia, describes the meaning of this phrase very graphically: “This phrase is used to describe the creation of public approval, not through exemplary or excellent public service or public policy, but through diversion; distraction; or the mere satisfaction of immediate, shallow requirements of a populace, as an offered ‘palliative’.

Those who have been through an election or two know exactly what these ‘palliatives’ are.

Let me suggest a few: covering roads that have been abandoned for years with a coating of tarmac; issuing calls for applications for vacant or newly created posts in the public service in the few weeks before the election; election candidates visiting disgruntled voters promising them that the day after the results are announced they will see a rejuvenated administration; abundant ‘nods and winks’ by outgoing ministers to friendly public officials to speed up promotions, issue long awaited permits, or grant other ‘favours’ to soften disgruntled voters.

There is some substance in the political talk, like proposals for a sustainable energy supply and the introduction of civil rights. Political campaigns are about communication and style. Style is the substance of modern electioneering.

We will have our fair share of scare-mongering, sanctimonious rhetoric, demonising of political opponents, and outright lies. We will hear politicians who have been in power for decades telling us that they are our best option for change, only to contradict themselves a little later by saying that we cannot really afford to change course.

We will hear very little about the hard work that still needs to be done to really put the finances of the country on solid foundations. Don’t expect much detail on how the growing mountain of public debt will be tackled.

Don’t hold your breath waiting to see the blueprint of how our health, educational and pensions system will be made financially sustainable in the medium to long term. Election campaigns are not the time for soul-searching but for repeating mantras that create a veneer of prosperity and hiding the tough realities that we have to face in the coming years.

Rating agencies will keep reminding us of the obstacles we face in our quest for prosperity.

For a time we are made to forget about the fact that an increasingly large section of our society is risking falling in the poverty trap.

Few will remind us that so far we have not done much to cater for the negative demographic trends in our society. There will be little detail on how our health service is being prepared to cope for the needs of our fast aging population.

Not everyone will be hypnotised with the happy talk that characterises election campaigns. Many will keep away from the noisy crowds that will no doubt be mobilised to attend mass meetings. The silent majority will pass judgment on whether they want to have more of the same style of governance that characterised these last 25 years or decide to turn the page for a new experience.

Luckily, some remain allergic to political bribery and no amount of savvy marketing will hypnotise them into deciding against their better judgment.

johncassarwhite@yahoo.com