Claire Caruana interviews Kristina Chetcuti, who tries to be herself despite the public role she now occupies by Simon Busuttil’s side

It’s an extremely “surreal time” right now, on both personal and national levels, for Kristina Chetcuti, the partner of Nationalist Party leader Simon Busuttil.

This snap election, says the former reporter and current columnist and book editor, has put everything on hold for everyone. “This is very surreal, because four years ago I was writing this kind of interview. Then again, I think we are living in a very surreal situation where it’s unheard of for there to be all these corruption allegations and yet no one resigns even when they are coming from the top.

“Everything is on hold right now, I won’t take you upstairs, because it’s like a bomb dropped there. But it’s fun,” Ms Chetcuti says.

READ: Hurt voters who went for Labour should turn to Forza Nazzjonali now - Busuttil

The couple moved into their Lija house of character a few years ago, blending their two families. As she wipes dust off one of the tables in the garden, with the family’s now famous dog, Gypsy, at her feet, Ms Chetcuti says she has had to drop everything, including house renovations, to focus on the campaign.

Her role as the PN leader’s partner is of the utmost importance to her, and she sees their support for each other as being the backbone of their relationship.

But her strong conviction that corruption has reached an unprecedented level prompted her to take a more active role in the campaigning. “I decided to help out and be very active, because I really believe in the cause. There is the supportive role, which is what I have been doing for the past three years, supporting Simon in his job like he supported me in my career. But now there is more. I believe we all have to do our bit.

“The country has been deceived, and it is just not on to say or do nothing.”

While new to party politics, this is not the first campaign Ms Chetcuti has followed closely, having been at the heart of it all as a journalist with a passionate interest in politics.

“Four years ago, I was doing these kinds of interviews, and now here I am. It’s very strange, but it helps that you know how the media works, because you get a feel for what the people are saying.”

And just as her transition from journalist to party leader’s partner was a smooth one, Ms Chetcuti said this was also the case on a more personal level. When the couple and their children first moved in together, it seemed as though the family was meant to be as one.

The two agreed from the start that the blending of their families should not negatively impact any of the children or cause unnecessary disruption.

This is something Simon and I have in common: with us, what you see is what you get

“It feels like we have always been like this. Of course there are some things that are new: for instance, the children are different ages, so they have their different problems. But we did it really slowly and carefully, so it came naturally,” she said.

Their house is a hub for family and friends who visit regularly to help out in the campaign. Papers are strewn all over the living room coffee tables and sofa.

With the children, the children’s friends and their own family and friends coming and going, “it feels like we’re part of one big team, all with one big cause”.

Being in the public eye, she says, forces one to become thick-skinned, and some criticism is to be expected.

“Then it is up to you how much you want to expose of yourself. It’s up to you to set the boundaries, but at the end of the day, when you’re a public figure, you’re bound to get some criticism.”

Asked whether she has ever felt a line was crossed, she sighs: “Yes, the line has been crossed, but it’s not vis-à-vis any personal thing, it is nationwide. You cannot lie to people’s faces and think that we are idiots. That line has been crossed totally and absolutely.

“We are being taken for idiots.”

The couple agree on many things, but with a slight smirk, Ms Chetcuti says she never holds back from giving her opinion to her partner.

The two met at a time when it was clear the party needed to do some “very deep soul searching” on civil liberties, something she has been vocal about.

“It needed to look at itself and find itself again, and that was very clear, and I think in the past three years, this is what Simon has been doing. He has been roping in people from all walks of life. For instance, you have Alex Mangion, who is transgender and who addressed the General Council. That goes to show how much the party is willing to open itself up.

“Simon has made it a point to open the doors of the party.”

When Dr Busuttil took over as party leader, he also made it his mission to strike a balance between the number of men and women on his team, she says. But she wishes more women were involved in politics.

It also up to the women themselves to make their voices heard. She fears women in Malta tend to be too quiet and should be more forceful when they come to expressing their concerns and needs.

She also expresses disappointment that the Labour Party resorted to sexism during this campaign, especially following the announcement of a coalition between the PN and the Democratic Party, which is headed by Marlene Farrugia.

On the disparaging comments made about the coalition and the questioning of Dr Busuttil’s leadership, Ms Chetcuti says this is just an example of the sexism still rife in certain sections of society.

“When I saw the billboard showing Simon and Marlene, I asked myself, ‘Is this by the government which portrays itself as the most feminist government ever?’ We have someone saying one thing but in actual fact doing another. Sexism is rife and instead of curbing it, we seem to be doing the opposite.”

Despite Ms Chetcuti and Dr Busuttil’s  public roles, she believes they should always portray an image that is authentic. She admits she struggles to put on that extra bit of make-up before appearing on stage at a political rally.

“This is me, and I cannot be other than myself in these situations. That is exactly who I have always been.

“Going up on stage in front of all those people is a very tense experience. Luckily I don’t have to give speeches. This is something Simon and I have in common: with us, what you see is what you get.”

Even though she is enjoying every minute of the campaign, she can’t wait to get back to her normal routine – even if in two weeks’ time she may well be the new prime minister’s partner.

She wants the country to return to normality too and believes it will if Simon Busuttil is elected.

“Then I can go back to work in my happy book world, safe in the knowledge that the person in charge has the country at heart.”