Alternattiva Demokratika, Democratic Party to join forces in next general election

Green Party Alternattiva Demokratika and Partit Demokratiku will be joining forces as one party sometime before the next General election, MaltaToday has been told.

“We have fought the same fight for years. We see eye to eye. We want to grow together and do it through an open process and in consultation with the public,” PD interim leader Timothy Alden told MaltaToday. 

AD chairperson Carmel Cacopardo said that it held its own commemoration of Karin Grech 42 years from her murder on Sarurday because it refused to join Labour to pay tribute as it usually did due to the ongoing political crisis.

“We didn’t want to participate with Labour commemorations of Karin Grech as usual due to the political situation. We had no problem joining the Nationalist Party in its tributes to Raymond Caruana earlier this year,” Cacopardo told MaltaToday. 

The two small parties laid bouquets at the foot of the Karin Grech memorial in San Gwann on Saturday, saying they looked forward to joining forces and providing a real alternative to the two major parties. 

AD said it invited PD to its remembrance and the latter accepted the invitation. 

“We remember the pains of the entire country. It is a stain on the collective memory. It is damaging that these cases remain unsolved and there is no closure,” Marcus Lauri, PD PRO said. 

PD said it condemned all hate and violence and that it remembered those who paid with their life because of political beliefs, principles, sex, and religion.

After the event, Alden took to Facebook, saying that the two small parties met on 25 September and agreed on a roadmap and a way forward.

"I had long argued for the consolidation of third party politics into the new movement the country needs. Alternattiva Demokratika felt the same," he wrote, adding that the two parties decided to make their plans public on Saturday. 

"I want this process from here on out to be about public consultation, and everyone having the chance to give their input. The new force needs to be ground up, by the people, for the people, including everyone."