The return of Joseph Muscat

During a recent radio show, a hysterical Charlon Gouder let it be known that there were ongoing discussions between Robert Abela and Joseph Muscat regarding the latter’s candidature for the European Parliament elections.

Muscat’s spouse and PR manager, Michelle Muscat, on her part, had already let it be known that the ball was in Abela’s court, thus implying that her Joseph was prepared to stand.

Perhaps both Charlon and Michelle had mistakenly let the cat out of the bag prematurely but that is their problem. It is what it is.

Bringing back Muscat is the greatest admission of failure on the part of Abela and the Labour Party. Abela, the party, the country and democracy will be taking one giant step back.

It would also confirm that Labour Party has no vision for the the future but has to dig into the past, rather than putting Muscat and his rotten legacy behind them and moving on as Abela pledged he would.

It would also confirm the famous devil’s pact (patt imxajtan) between Muscat and Abela, which led to the election of a neutered leader who sold his soul and has no standing of his own; this when, by far, the favourite contender refused to play with Muscat’s ball – full protection.

Bringing back Muscat will see the Labour Party being openly (and I say this with a purpose) taken over by dark forces in the form of Jason Micallef, Manwel Cuschieri and, now, Gouder and their ilk.

It would openly show that Abela and the Labour Party are weak and lack the necessary courage and an initiative of their own to run the country.

It would show that the scourge of populism has taken over the country. Malta is struggling to re-establish its shattered reputation and should be looking to lay the ground for a longterm, viable and sustainable economy.

A man who was kicked out by his own cabinet of ministers and voted the most corrupt politician in the world in 2019, if he returns, will thwart all efforts to this end.

He will only raise eyebrows in the European Union – indeed, we have been told by the relentless Arnold Cassola that there are already serious misgivings within the European Parliament grouping of Socialists and Democrats, of which the Labour Party forms part.

We cannot forget that Muscat was shunned during meetings of the Council of Minsters during his last days as prime minister.

Some scenes were both pathetic and pitiful. Muscat’s return will shine a spotlight on Malta’s democratic credentials and will seriously damage the chances of the return of any foreign direct investment and that of a healthy financial services sector, a sector which has already been seriously tarnished.

When, in 2019, the cabinet of ministers forced out their prime minister, this was forced on them by civil society reacting to the filth that was emerging and in which Muscat rendered himself an accomplice by tolerating, condoning and covering up much of it.

But it was a courageous move. It was also a suffered achievement for the Labour Party. Does it want to go back to square one?

Does Abela want to make his overshadowing by Muscat even worse? One would think that he would rather struggle to remove the shackles that bind him. He doesn’t have the courage to resist Muscat and safeguard the future of his party. “If he wants to stand, who I am I to stand in his way?” Who are you? You are the leader of the Labour Party. Go on, then, just bring in the whole band of rogues.

“Does Robert Abela want to make his overshadowing by Joseph Muscat even worse?

Austin Sammut is a lawyer.