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James Debono
A green light given by Dr Joe Brincat that the EU Constitution is not in breach of the Maltese one and a warning by George Vella that the party will lose its credibility if it votes against it, has paved the way for the acceptance of the EU constitutional treaty by the Malta Labour Party. Coming from two party heavy weights rather from some euro enthusiastic wannabe, these words are bound to resonate with party diehards.
In his ninth political life Alfred Sant is determined to redeem his party from the hysterical anti EU image projected before the 2003 elections by adopting a Euro realist platform which is more in synch with middle of the road voters.
What is striking in this process of redemption is that the very people who just two years ago where known for their vehement opposition towards EU membership have now been entrusted with the process of convincing the party's grass roots that the EU Constitutional treaty is acceptable.
The two former deputy leaders who led the party in its crusade against EU membership have prepared reports which pave the way for a qualified ‘yes’ by MLP MPs when the Constitution is ratified in parliament.
Just two years ago during the MLP’s Freedom day’s celebration Dr George Vella declared:
“If the people do not choose the Labour way, it will be the last year we will be celebrating Freedom Day in our country. Through the Nationalist road towards membership our neutrality and freedom will be lost.”
Just two years later Vella warns that a “A ‘no’ vote to the Constitution might be welcomed by some of the party’s die hards, but it will not go down well with pro EU Labourites and with floating voters”.
In its conclusion the Vella report warns “a negative vote will cast serious doubts on the party’s credibility especially when considering the party committed itself to respect the popular will after the last general election.”
Vella also warns that a ‘no’ vote will have a negative impact on the party’s international credibility. In March 2003 the MLP and Alfred Sant himself, had no qualms meeting with exponents of extremist groups like the UK Independence Party like Jeremy Titforf. The Vella report warns that “if we vote ‘no’ for the Constitution the MLP be associated with extremist parties in Europe.” Rather than meeting with loonies like Titford, George Vella is currently a member of the Presidency of the Party of European Socialists.
Reading history with hindsight, one cannot escape the conclusion that had the party followed George Vella's present recommendations back in 2003, it would have not lost the 2003 election.
In the coming months the PN’s media will be busy exposing the contradictions in the MLP. This will serve to divert attention from the visible cracks in the PN. Yet probably this will only serve Sant’s purpose. While few people including former Prime Minister Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici care a fig about the details of the European Constitution, many people would not vote Labour as long the party’s stand on the EU remains ambivalent. Those opposing the EU Constitution in the party will increasingly look like knights fighting windmills. In so doing they will play a role in Alfred Sant’s political stage. By confronting their hysterical opposition Sant could succeed in redeeming his party in the eyes of the pro EU Labourites who voted PN in 2003.
On the other hand Sant’s dose of euro realism will make new inroads among those disenchanted segments of the middle class who feel somewhat deceived by the very high expectations raised before the referendum. Without the hysteria which characterised the MLP’s anti-membership campaign, the EU critical observations made by Vella in his report can strike a chord with ‘yes’ voters who have now become more sober in their assessment of membership. The present economic crisis has eroded the Euro enthusiasm of yesterday but not to the point of questioning the choices made in 2003.
Through this exercise in political redemption, Sant has understood the signs of the times. And judging from Anglu Farrugia’s declaration on Turkey, God and the Constitution (see back page), Sant will also re-legitimise himself among middle of the road voters as the best possible leader for the MLP in the present circumstances. The main problem for the MLP leadership is that only a collective act of amnesia can exorcise the party’s recent past completely.
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