No time for theatrics

The Prime Minister's decision last Sunday to place his leadership on the line merits comment and analysis.

The first and most crucial question is whether the suggested course of action - a leadership contest within the Nationalist Party - actually addresses the much wider and more cogent issue of leadership on a national level.

At a glance, the present impasse concerns whether or not the PN government commands an undisputed majority in the House of Representatives. Following Debono's abstention last week, the answer is clearly 'no'. But even if we accept the reasoning that a change in the PN's leadership may automatically remedy this situation - as Debono had earlier suggested he would follow 'anyone but Gonzi' - one can only seriously question whether the PN is placing its own interests before those of the country, by choosing to indefinitely prolong the existing uncertainty.

In short, the outcome of last weekend's general council meeting did nothing to solve the parliamentary impasse, which remains very much alive and kicking. It did, however, give the Prime Minister time to consolidate grassroot support and strengthen his position within the party.

This in turn resuscitates the question of whether Gonzi is acting in the national interest, or restrictively in the narrow interest of the Nationalist Party... or worse still, simply in the interest of his own political survival, even at the expense of both other considerations. 

If - as we have been assured on countless occasions by the Prime Minister - a general election is not in the national interest, one must ask: how can a PN leadership election be in the national interest... especially if uncontested?

From this vantage point, the theatrical
nature of the speeches over the weekend comes across as farcical, to say the least.

Rallying calls within the party, and
triumphant reconfirmations of the leader by standing ovations, may well be important to strengthen the Prime Minister's own support base - but in no way is the national interest served by such shenanigans.

On the contrary, it would be far more beneficial for all concerned if the Prime Minister invests more energy in reaching an agreement with Debono, and less in futile exercises aimed only at consolidating his own leadership in the party.

Even without such considerations the leadership contest itself can be seen to be vitiated. Barring the extremely unlikely eventuality of a surprise contender stepping forth from the shadows, it will almost certainly be an uncontested affair decided by secret ballot.

This reflects poorly on the party, as by inviting the delegates to merely rubber-stamp a foregone conclusion, Gonzi risks reducing the entire exercise to a leadership battle reminiscent of communist regimes.

Questions can be asked even about the procedures being applied. Why restrict the vote only to the elected members of the party clubs? Why not extend it to all party members... as, ironically, the PN had suggested for the Labour leadership battle in 2008?

More importantly, the statute talks clearly of the leadership taking place in the context of a 'vacancy'. But with Gonzi repeatedly stressing that he has not resigned as party leader, there is technically no vacancy at all. More than a leadership election, delegates are simply being asked to reconfirm Gonzi as leader, without having any real choice in the matter.

Meanwhile we are left with a plethora of unanswered questions. Does the present government have a majority in parliament, or not? How long can it be expected to carry on limping, with no apparent direction... held hostage by a backbencher who now risks further exasperating an already alienated electorate?

Faced with so many imponderables, the PN's internal leadership problems are quite frankly secondary at this stage.

Time to act on ACTA

The government's decision to sign highly controversial international legislation such as ACTA should serve as an eye-opener about much that is seriously wrong with our way of doing politics.

ACTA is a bone of much contention in Europe at the moment; and rightly so, as the potential for serious abuse, affecting and possibly even criminalising thousands of ordinary citizens, cannot be simply sprung on a nation without any form of discussion.

At face value, the proposed legislation aims at protecting copyright owners from piracy and theft. On paper the goals are admirable; but one must seriously question whether the discretionary powers with which such legislation will furnish the authorities may in future be exploited to achieve other, less noble ends. 

In other countries this very question has provoked serious debate and justifiable concern. But in Malta, our government simply signed the agreement without consulting anyone, or even bothering to inform the public of its decision. This would be unacceptable at the best of times. At a time when the same government represents less than 50% of the popular vote, and has effectively lost its slender parliamentary majority to boot, it is little short of irresponsible.

There is no excuse for simply by-passing the people on any issue, let alone such a sensitive one. Perhaps the time has come for the government to finally realise it can no longer get away with taking the people for granted in this manner.