Lawrence Gonzi delivered an eloquent election victory speech. He undoubtedly feels the heat from the fact that although the Nationalist Party won the general election it did not manage to garner the support of an absolute majority, which chose otherwise. Furthermore, the difference in votes between the PN and Labour is wafer-thin.

Dr Gonzi said that he wants an inclusive government that also reflects the aspirations of those who voted for Labour. Talk is cheap. We will judge Dr Gonzi by facts. We will have to see whether the Nationalist government wants to stop ostracising all those who are not part of its core.

I put forward two issues which we can use as a first benchmark to measure Dr Gonzi's words with Dr Gonzi's deeds.

The first is the choice of a Speaker for the House of Representatives. In my opinion, given the electoral result, the opposition should be given the possibility to nominate a person for this post.

The second benchmark is the choice of the next President of the Republic once the mandate of the current office holder expires in a few months' time. If Dr Gonzi wants to be taken seriously, he should give the possibility to the opposition to submit a shortlist of names from which he could then pick the next occupier of San Anton Palace.

It is only against such concrete benchmarks that we can start assessing Dr Gonzi's claims.

And that would be only a first step.

The news that the Malta Environment and Planning Authority (Mepa) suspended its decision-making process comes too little, too late. It was said that Mepa's public board meetings and those of the Development Control Commissions (DCC) were shut down in order to prepare for the changes that have been promised.

This decision goes totally against what Dr Gonzi did just before the election, when he appointed a new DCC board just nine days before the election.

Why this contradiction?

Dr Muscat is a Labour member of the European Parliament and vice-president of the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee.

www.josephmuscat.com