A Christian reaction to the election results

Today we shall know the results of Malta’s 2013 general election. For the majority this will mean elation, for the minority, disappointment.

Government has to look after the interests of both the majority and the minority

There is near-universal consensus that the electoral campaign was too long and a lacklustre affair. There was far too much concentration on the economy, on the material things on offer and on scandals.

There was far too little discussion on justice issues and on ethical principles, ideals and values. This deficit is a matter of great concern and does not, unfortunately, augur well for Malta’s collective future.

In his 1995 encyclical letter Centesimus Annus(nr 46) Pope John Paul II wrote that the Church values the democratic system inasmuch as it ensures the participation of citizens in making political choices, guaranteeing to the governed the possibility both of electing those who govern them, and of holding them accountable through free elections.

But if a democratic system is to be authentic, it is not enough for it to formally observe a set of rules; it must be the fruit of a convinced acceptance of the values inspiring truly democratic life – namely the dignity of every person, the respect of human rights, and the commitment to the common good as the purpose and guiding criterion for political life.

A democratic society that respects the dignity of every human person will be careful to be inclusive, treating all fairly, irrespective of political leanings. A democratic society has in a special way to look after its weakest members – such as those with special needs, the poor, those who are sick, those old and frail, refugees.

Respect for human rights, seemingly straightforward, implies first clarifying what we mean by a human right. A right cannot just be claimed; it must be established by reference to the truth and the nature of reality.

The claim, for instance, that a woman has a ‘right’ to choose to abort fails to acknowledge the truth that there is a human life growing inside her. That life is defenceless and must be respected. So her claim to a ‘right’ to choose is not solidly based at all, and is not established.

The commitment to the common good is also in need of being spelt out. The common good involves, first and foremost, all members of society: each person has a responsibility of cooperating, according to one’s possibilities, towards the spiritual and material wellbeing of a nation.

The responsibility to achieve the common good, besides being everyone’s responsibility, also belongs to the State and its institutions (Government, Parliament, the Law Courts, and so on). In ensuring the common good, the Government of a country has the specific and difficult responsibility to harmonise the interests of individuals and groups, within a framework of justice. Government has to look after the interests of both the majority and the minority, and not just the majority that elected it.

It must also be said that in aiming at the common good, Government may not just go by a majority count on a particular issue, since on matters of principle the view of the majority is not necessarily the right one. This could, for instance, mean that a law presented by Government is passed through Parliament involving greater social justice for migrants, even though the majority of the population is against the measure.

The common good cannot be reduced to mere socio-economic wellbeing. Human beings are spiritual, and their ultimate goal is union with God. The common good necessarily involves that spiritual dimension too. This means guaranteeing not only the right to religious freedom but also all that affirms the inherent spiritual dignity of every human being.

Today’s results will not just mark the end of the electoral campaign. Hopefully they will also signal the beginning of a less materialistic, more value-oriented and spiritual journey for Maltese society.

Fr Soler is a member of the Society of Jesus.