The Opposition’s Game of Thrones

Parliamentary Secretary for Fisheries, Aquaculture and Animal Rights

Having an Opposition is not only required by our Constitution but it is an essential tool for a functioning state. It is a responsibility vested in the party, which does not succeed in getting the majority of votes in the general election. The Opposition has a responsibility towards the people to keep the governing party in check. Without an Opposition, there is no real democracy. In Malta’s case, unfortunately, the Opposition is simply entrenched in what seems to be a never-ending game of thrones.

The events unfolding at the Nationalist Party headquarters, besides teetering on the pathetic, are creating a situation of uncertainty. The light at the end of the tunnel seems to be far away for the Nationalists.

One has to keep in mind that in 12 years, the PN will have changed its leader five times. That is almost as many leaders as the party had from its inception in 1880 until the reign of Eddie Fenech Adami came to an end in 2004.

The situation at Tal-Pietà is, to say the least, desperate. There is no unity within the party. Factions oppose each other in a tight civil war, with very little hope of finding a truce. Above all, there is nobody with the right aura to take over the helm of a party in total disarray.

Everybody knew that Bernard Grech was not fit for purpose. Even the Blue Heroes themselves knew that. They pushed him as he was the one who could be controlled by the extremist faction of the party—the elitists who still believed they were chosen by God to rule over Malta.

The deposition of Adrian Delia as leader was the first act of civil war. It did not end there. Instead, the rift continued to expand, leading to the resignation of Bernard Grech as leader earlier this month.

I do not believe anyone in the party expected this to happen less than two years before an election. The PN is leaderless and, above all, has gargantuan debts which leave no hope. Had the PN been a commercial company, it would have been put in liquidation and struck off the register as defunct.

Defunct is a harsh word to use for a political party that has been part of Maltese politics for almost 130 years. Defunct is a hard pill to swallow for all those who dedicated their lives to supporting the Nationalist ideology. As hard as it is, the PN is truly risking dissolution. A split and the creation of two parties are becoming a real possibility over time.

The only hope left was in the hands of Roberta Metsola. She chose her career over her party—the same party that helped her to become what she is today. Do we blame her? Would you throw away a thriving career at the helm of the European Union, to return to what is simply a game of thrones?

Who in their right state of mind would take over the leadership of a party that is drowning in debt and which is split between moderates and extremists, with no hope of any truce between them?

With Metsola refusing to downgrade her career, many are now realising that there is no alternative, so much so, some are even arguing Bernard Grech should stay on. Those who came up with this idea know that the probability of a PN win in the next election is close to zero, and therefore whoever gets chosen as leader will find themselves in a situation where they have to fight a general election with no resources and within a short period of time. The coming election can make or break any new leader.

From a Labour Party point of view, we must take on ourselves this greater responsibility to govern without an Opposition. We must stay humble and close to the people. We must keep our focus; continue to better the lives of all the people and we should not make the mistake Lawrence Gonzi did when he underestimated a young Joseph Muscat.

Let us keep our feet on the ground. Let us continue to give the people the support they need whilst others are focused on their games.