Election Playbook: Nationalist MPs abandon ship and Grech steps into the metaverse

Abandon ship: Clyde Puli, Kristy Debono, Mario Galea separately announced that they will not contest the election, each having handed in their “resignation” letters on Monday afternoon. The timing of their announcement on the first day of the election campaign begs the question as to whether this was a concerted effort, or possibly a discrete show of force against Bernard Grech’s leadership, given that all three were supporters of former Nationalist leader Adrian Delia.

Later in the day, Claudio Grech also announced that he will step aside to make way for new blood. And again... surprise, surprise – for Grech was one of the PN’s leading lights, apart from the fact that all four MPs were constituency references points and big vote-winners.

Traversing the metaverse: Day 1 of the election campaign brought with it the first proper mention of the metaverse in Maltese politics. Using tech’s favourite buzzword as an electoral pledge is a bold move for the PN, especially as most of the world is still grasping with the issues of ownership, data protection, or criminal dealings that a lawless metaverse brings with it.

Metaverse vs Blockchain Island: This isn’t the first time that a political party promised giant leaps in a new tech niche, only to jump too far too soon. Labour’s Blockchain Island promised similar technological advancements and business opportunities, only to have it come crashing down after banks refused to cooperate with crypto firms. Eventually, the millions in crypto funds flowing through Malta became a red flag for the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). The money laundering risks of the metaverse are yet to be discovered, but there are legal lacunas that are yet to be resolved before metaverse technology can go fully mainstream.

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Greening or greenwash?: Back to the material world, the Labour Party is shifting its focus on green spaces in a bid to win credibility on environmental matters. The Labour Party doesn’t have the best credentials on green, public spaces, but it does have a track record on getting things done. The problem is that those “things” were often controversial arterial roads or haphazard tree-chopping exercises. Regardless, its pièce de résistance (and the project that made most headlines) is the Floriana park that will replace Triq Sant’Anna.

First-time buyers, give us your votes!: Another proposal from the Labour Party will see first-time property buyers given €1,000 a year for the first 10 years of property purchase. Many young people trying to get a foot in the property market will enjoy the added help, but this electoral proposal is no planned-out measure to addressing rising property prices. The €1,000 in added help may end up being absorbed by local developers

Vote PN now, regret it later: Former book council chief Mark Camilleri said on Monday that he will vote for the Nationalist Party, but then oppose them once in power. Camilleri was never one to shy away from criticising the Labour Party, most especially under Robert Abela’s watch. However, this is Camilleri’s first definite break from the party, having supported it well before his 2013 appointment as book council executive chairman.

What’s happening on Tuesday?: Robert Abela will be holding a rally in Marsaskala, Triq ix-Xatt, at 6:30pm. Bernard Grech will be at Tigulio for the Nationalist Party’s own political activity.