Where does the non-event of all political times in Malta leave the government? Lawrence Gonzi’s race with himself offered some comic relief in a political scenario that does not usually provide much amusement. It was a personal decision by the leader of the Nationalist Party to deal with a personal situation that was brought about in the House of Representatives, not within the party.
A Nationalist backbench MP felt he could not support the Prime Minister and his government for a number of reasons. Among them he alleged there was a clique which held GonziPM hostage. He gave no details of who makes up the clique. More to the point in parliamentary terms the MP said there were ministers who were not performing but were not being made to shoulder political responsibility.
He said political party financing needed to be regulated and proposed how. The MP added more to his reforming list. He backed his words with action, holding back his support for the government on a motion of no confidence moved by the opposition.
What has Dr Gonzi, wearing his prime-ministerial hat, done about any of all that? He did not even swat away the charge that he had a monkey on his back in the form of a clique. He did not initiate legislative reform to reflect the sensible parts of the MP’s proposals. Rather, he lurched between anger and more anger, asserting publicly how right he had been not to consider the MP for promotion.
Lawrence Gonzi, the Prime Minister, left it to Lawrence Gonzi, the leader of the Nationalist Party, to take action, the most peculiar action of all. Rather than calling for a party motion of confidence, he called for a leadership contest which nobody was expected to contest but him. And he did not even resign until it was held, as some weighty Nationalists, with more experience than him within the party, said he ought to have done according to the party statute.
So it was all set for a contest which was no contest, not even a race between a rabbit and a tortoise. The result was a foregone conclusion, though it did not turn out to be that absolutely. Some MPs did not turn up for the vote. A couple of other heavyweights were significant absentees. One of them, John Dalli, had signalled that he would have no truck with the charade. The other, Frank Portelli, a former party president, declared he wanted to demonstrate his disagreement with the way things were being done.
There can be no doubt that Dr Portelli too supports Dr Gonzi. But he did not support the parody of a leadership contest. A score and a half others voted no or spoilt their votes.
Not insignificant but not such a big deal, really. The big deal remains the meaningful event that has yet to take place in the House of Representatives. There GonziPM is twisting and turning to avoid a vote on any money Bill. He is not yet certain that the reluctant Nationalist backbench MP will vote with the government. And if he abstains, the Gonzi government will only be saved by Mr Speaker’s casting vote.
That can go on for a while but it would turn House procedure into a joke and cannot last for long. Saturday’s leadership no-contest did not change any of that.
The government’s predicament can only be resolved with the reforming MP voting with his side. Until that happens, the one-contestant leadership race will have been held in vain, confirming that Dr Gonzi would have been more practical to organise a three-legged race, with his obdurate MP tied to him.
Until that tie is restored, the government will continue to wriggle and turn in the House of Representative, heaping further disrepute on the highest institution in the land.
Perhaps GonziPN has bought enough time for GonziPM to ride out the parliamentary crisis and win back Franco Debono’s voting support.
Time will tell.
The longer it drags, the more unseemly it will all become.