Election Playbook: To err is human, to score a penalty is to be Bernard Grech

From 35k to 25k: The gap between the two major parties stands at 25,506 votes, down from 26,379 the day before and around 35,000 from the last general election. Robert Abela’s individual trust rating remained unchanged from Thursday, while Grech’s rating fell by 0.6 points. The predicted voter turnout saw an insignificant decline of 0.1 points. You can find our updated survey results here. 

Bernardinho Grech: Bernard fancied himself to be Ronaldinho on Friday, delivering not one but two impressive penalty shots at Junior College on Friday. He’s certainly living up to the gamer expectations – he was first snapped playing Rocket League(?) in his free time, and then videoed signing a PlayStation controller. Between this and Silvio Schembri’s gamer admission, we can scrap the election and let the winning party be decided through a Twitch Rivals tournament. 

"Int gamer?", "Ija bro": The above photo was posed by Bernard Grech's Facebook page onto the comments section of a post asking whether he considers himself a gamer.

To err is human: On a more serious note, Grech half-heartedly admitted to a typo error in the Nationalist Party’s manifesto. The initial proposal suggested that subsidies on pre-1995 rental contracts will be tapered over three years. In reality, the subsidies will remain as is. At first, two PN MPs refused to admit the typo error, but Grech quickly diffused the situation. “The PN is made of people who are not perfect,” he said (otherwise it would have been called Partit Perfezzjonista). 

The joys of missing out: Apart from Robert Abela’s daily evening political activities, he’s been going from one locality to another every morning to be with the people, even meeting with unions and students at Junior College. But unlike Bernard Grech and the Nationalist Party, who have been inviting the media to coverage multiple times a day, the Labour Party is keeping their meetings hush-hush. One could understand if Abela would rather keep his union and student meetings down low without media distraction, but many are starting to wonder if this is an intentional ploy to avoid uncomfortable press questions – especially after Thursday’s great escape after an extravagant hangar unveiling. 

Labour candidates bask in the limelight: While Abela remains quiet, other Labour candidates are steaming ahead with their own lavish campaign events. Silvio Schembri is holding an election campaign dinner at Montekristo Estate, with a buffet dinner and brass house unit. Aaron Farrugia will be delivering a speech and holding an after-party at the Marsa Housing Estate, also with his own brass and DJs performances. No doubt these events are fitting ways to show your constituency a fun time, but they beg the question as to how the candidates and the party is funding such lavish functions.  

A little birdie told Jason: Have you ever wondered who gives Jason Azzopardi all the scandalous information he reveals on Facebook and in parliamentary speeches? After intense investigation MaltaToday has uncovered that Azzopardi uses a little bird on his shoulder feeding him tidbits on the scandalous escapades of Yorgen Fenech et al. Who wants to be a fly on the wall when you can be a lorikeet on Jason’s shoulder? 

No to fossil fuel: Environmental NGO presented their own nine environmental demands to all candidates and political parties. Their demands include an immediate halt to fossil fuel infrastructure investment locally, in turn precluding the possibility of a gas pipeline to Sicily, and for that investment to be diverted into renewable sources. They also want environmental protection, guardianship, and the environmental rights of future generations to be entrenched in the constitution. 

What’s happening today: Robert Abela will be in Sannat at 6:30pm for a Labour Party activity. Bernard Grech will be holding an interview in the Nadur pjazza at 6pm. ADPD has a press conference at 1:15pm. Arnold Cassola has a press conference at noon on sexual harassment in the army.