Last week, as discussions ensued within the Labour Party to enact changes to renew the party structures, I couldn’t help but recall the long, exciting and sometimes painful road we have walked together during the last eight years.
Faced with another (albeit marginal) defeat in 2008, the party was at a critical crossroad with one simple choice: either change drastically the way it operated and, more importantly, its mindset, or cease to exist. The rest, I guess,is history.
The party transformed itself from a closed, insular party, to an open, forward-looking political force serving also as the base of a much wider movement. Many doubted and at times ridiculed this vision until results spoke for themselves on March 10, 2013.
In reality, much of the change brought about was because we went back to the roots of the party. We took the lead in progressive policy and issues deemed as ‘thorny’ were no longer being skirted but, to the contrary, we initiated discussions and led nation-wide debates on realities and changes which our society had been for long undergoing and which, unfortunately, the country’s administration did its utmost to avoid for years.
Although we still championed the cause of the vulnerable and the poor in our society, we spoke in an equally strong voice about the economy.
Reading through this, it may sound simple but, in reality, we faced a very steep road to change perceptions (and, in some cases, realities) that had been accumulating for decades.
The renewal process we went through in Opposition is today reflected in the results our country is achieving. As we speak, it results that the rate of unemployment is the third lowest in the European Union, credit rating agencies confirm time after time the growth and positive prospects of our country, tourism stats show improvement year after year, while reforms and unprecedented investment are being piloted in education, energy, social services, civil liberties and health, among others.
Change is not an option but essential
‘The beginning of the end’ (not the one forecast by Simon Busuttil as he waved his 100-year-old flag) for any political party which aims to remain relevant is the moment it ceases to change and renew itself – change is not an option but essential. This takes me back to my introduction.
Last Friday, the Labour Party’s general conference approved Joseph Muscat’s proposal to amend its statute and renew further its structures. It’s a decision which will help to adopt to the reality of a party in government.
It’s no secret that, after so many years of Opposition, it takes time for a political party to adapt to its new reality as the party in government. Certain rules and restrictions, which were deemed to be necessary in the past, may now, in reality, be hindering the party’s operation.
As we approach the start of the fourth year of the legislature, the same party which was given the mandate to govern in 2013 will once again eventually face the electorate with a set of new ideas, backed by its track record during this legislature. I’m convinced that this change, which we have just enacted, will serve to bridge an existing gap between the different structures within the party.
Having worked closely with Toni Abela for the last three years, I have witnessed his hard work and dedication to the Labour Party. He gave his all to the party and its activists.
In Toni I found not only a sincere and loyal colleague but a true friend. While I, like all the other activists, will miss his presence, I’m sure he’s got more than it takes to do a good job and make our country proud.
Daniel Micallef is president of the Labour Party.