News • 23 March 2003

Greens to campaign for no 2 Votes

JULIAN MANDUCA argues that the Greens will have to concentrate on house visits to reach its potential voters

Manwel Dimech, Sliema - The Green Party faces its hardest test of its short existence in what purports to be a dramatic and cut-throat electoral contest in the coming weeks.

The past weeks have barely seen AD come out if its shell following what were evidently unsuccessful talks for an ‘holy’ pro-EU alliance with the PN

AD emerges from a good showing at the local elections with the excellent performance of its chairperson Dr Harry Vassallo in recent months. However, as the spectre of a very close election looms, AD must know the electorate is likely to close ranks and vote for the traditional parties.

That may be why AD has decided to go for second count votes in the hope of electing a Member of Parliament. AD’s future may depend on it.

AD are put a disadvantage and can honestly speak of a democratic deficit in that the party has no media except for Capital radio and certainly does not have the party machinery to raise large amounts of money from supporters and dubious contributors.

The independent media does give space to AD, but in the days preceding the elections expect AD’s message to be swamped by the big two.

AD had a billboard prior to the referendum, but financial constraints probably do not allow it to keep a token presence among the plethora of billboards of the blues and reds.

The Greens will have to concentrate on house visits to reach its potential voters and also explain to them the intricacies of Malta’s single transferable voting system and the possible scenarios of such a closely fought contest.

Many people still don’t understand exactly what happens when one gives a first count vote to one party and a second count vote to another, and many are unsure what will happen should none of the parties obtain more that 50 percent of the valid vote. AD will have to explain these finesses clearly if it wants to attract second count votes.

julian@maltamag.com