A left-wing presidency for Malta?

The ideological orientation of the social policy minister who will replace Coleiro Preca will be decisive as to the Labour government's direction on welfare

Michael Briguglio 6 March 2014, 12:00am

1 min read

Marie Louise Coleiro Preca

I am not interested in the strategic partisan reasons why Marie Louise Coleiro Preca will become President of Malta.

In party politics such nominations are always characterised by various, possibly over-determining factors. No party - big or small - is immune to such maneuvering.

What I am interested in is the effect of such a Presidency.

Two alternative readings - among many other possible readings - come to mind.

First: That with Coleiro Preca as President, this role is being trusted to someone with a left-wing political background (more in the economic sense of the term than in the liberal sense), and that Malta's strategy against poverty and social exclusion will be elevated to that of a national priority.

In this sense, Malta's welfare state will be guarded by somebody who truly believes in social justice.

Second: That the role of President will remain ceremonial, and the Labour government will parcel out the egalitarian aspects of its policies to the President, who will merely act as a missionary for charity.

This would possibly weaken Malta's welfare state, and social rights will be increasingly replaced by voluntarism. The attempt to reconcile the irreconcilable - neo-liberalism with social justice - would have experienced an implosion.

But it's the ideological orientation of the appointee to replace Coleiro Preca as Minister for Social Policy that will perhaps confirm or quash such a hypothesis.

I hope that effect of Coleiro Preca's Presidency will be somewhere close to the first reading above.

Her left-wing (economic) credentials are surely an asset in this regard, in a political world increasingly characterised by populism, careerism, technocracy and/or bland wishy-washiness.

My congratulations to Marie Louise Coleiro Preca.

Michael Briguglio is a sociologist and senior lecturer at the University of Malta

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always hoping, I did not quite catch your drift. However, I did get the last point. Remember that the whole idea was to allow more disposable income in the hands of those THAT COULD AFFORD to spend it, hence the measure which would eventually have meant more taxes. It had nothing to do with social services.

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@Better Future, We say: L-ajta nofs il-bieh' so far that is the going thing, 'Look how nice we are!' Take from those who used to be middle class because they are the silent majority and just spread as much as you can to those less fortunate, after all the super rich can not afford it, although they have all the means to hide their income they still had a reduction in the rate on what they declare.

John Mifsud •

It's not the President's remit to be left-wing, centrist or right-wing. The President's constitutional role is to be super partes; he/she is entitled to his/her personal views, but should keep these to him/herself once he is installed. That is why what happened in 1974 is regrettable.

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"In this sense, Malta's welfare state will be guarded by somebody who truly believes in social justice." << >> OH GREAT! Another do-gooder with someone else's money! Wouldn't it be just dandy if we were to spend someone else's hard earned monies, then shout from the rooftops how generous we are!

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Always hoping is right Rich are richer poor are poorer. And the worst thing is that workers are now poor too. Many work 10 to 12 hours a day two jobs and still cannot cope.. What can you do with 4 euro 15 cents an hour? Sure you say serves them right for not continuing their education etc... But the real fact is that those who are paying them 4.15 an hour are making 200 an hour or more Make work pay fair and we can move forward!!!

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There is a new factory that I was surprised when this great woman was appointed and that is Joseph keep referring to a 'NEW REPUBLIC' to my knowledge there have been no blood shed or battles or heroes, for that matter to go for a 'New Republic'. Are we going to see this new president going out of her way of that defined by the constitution? This is very interesting times that one can think back when Joseph was right that he wanted to go for change. So far I see the rich get richer and the poor get poorer , I too wish this woman all the best but I believe she could be entering into a coming storm.