Beyond the pantomime

By the time this article is published in The Malta Independent on Sunday this morning, Adrian Delia will have either been reconfirmed as the Leader of the Nationalist Party, or he will be on his way out.

It may come as a surprise to many that either outcome makes little difference to me, despite the huge practical importance of this event on the Maltese political landscape. It may also be surprising that Partit Demokratiku has said little about this vote of confidence over the past few weeks.

There is a simple explanation, and that is that everything that needed to be said has already been said both by myself and by Partit Demokratiku. At this point, our opinion on Delia’s politics is clear. We have called for his resignation before, if there was any doubt. However, the challenges he faced from internal critics are none of our business. The challenges we have posed to him have been fair play, as an alternative at the ballot box, and because we genuinely disagree with him on matters such as the environment, where he often seeks to please developers over residents.

If Adrian Delia stays on as the leader of the Nationalist Party, we will continue to scrutinise his politics fairly as the watchdog in Parliament. Our role as the watchdog should not change if he goes, and is replaced by somebody else. My own disagreement with his politics has never extended to participating in any sort of heckling, and I have avoided, like the plague, commenting on his personal life. I entered politics in 2017 to raise the standard of public discourse, provide a public service, to improve the quality of life of all

Maltese and to protect our heritage and our environment. My ambitions for cleaner air, for less partisan politics and for an emphasis on wellbeing instead of money have often been thwarted by greed and a darker and more self-serving sort of ambition from those in power, whether Red or Blue in colour.

My hope remains that people will realise that they do not need to be overly invested in the outcome of the vote of confidence in Adrian Delia. There is more to life, and more to Malta, than the cosmetic coat of paint that is Red or Blue.

With all of the baggage and crimes of both the Nationalist and the Labour Parties combined, there is nothing stopping anybody from walking away from them and turning a fresh page. There is nothing stopping anybody from being independent, free and guiltless. I feel great relief and freedom in not having to pay much attention to the endless dramas inside the Nationalist Party.

Just as there is a much larger and wider world outside of Malta, so too is there a more vibrant, dynamic and uplifting society outside of the poisonous two-party system here at home, even though it dominates the Constitution, our political system at large and in spite of the fact it dominates the media.

Your destiny is not in the hands of a few expired politicians - it is always your own to decide. Walk away from the rot. Choose not to be a part of it. Create something better.