Independent MEP candidate Arnold Cassola has called for the formation of a “centre-green-left” coalition after missing out on winning a seat in the recent European Parliament elections.
Pointing to growing support for independent candidates and alternative parties, Cassola said the time was “ripe for... a centre-green-left oriented coalition,” in an opinion piece published in Times of Malta today.
Calling the election “the birth of a movement for hope”, the independent candidate said building on its results was “the next step”, before inviting “well-meaning people” to register their interest in forming a coalition.
Contacted to elaborate on his comments, Cassola would not be drawn into commenting on his willingness to work with specific candidates, instead saying he wasn’t ruling anyone out.
But, in separate comments to Times of Malta, ADPD leader Sandra Gauci said she “didn’t see a coalition forming right now”.
Reflecting on the election results in his opinion piece, Cassola wrote that despite his own personal defeat, the country’s political landscape had been shaken by a “tectonic jolt”, with 13% of voters opting for third parties and independents.
The independent candidate missed out on a seat despite winning the third-largest number of first-count votes, an early advantage that was negated after he failed to inherit enough votes in further counts.
Commenting on his defeat, he wrote he had found “profound solace” in the growing support for alternatives to the two main political parties, before issuing a call to set up a coalition focused on centre-left and green policies.
Cassola told Times of Malta the coalition would be focused on creating a society based on meritocracy and halting the “spread of concrete” across the country. Asked who the coalition was open to, he said he was not ruling anyone out while stressing he believed there to be many people across the country who shared similar aims.
Proposed coalition was 'not exclusive, open to everyone'
When asked if he would consider joining forces with fellow independent candidate Conrad Borg Manché or ADPD, Cassola said the proposed coalition was “not exclusive... [and] open to everyone.”
When pressed on Borg Manché, who declared he would join the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) at the European Parliament if elected – a right-wing Eurosceptic group – Cassola said Times of Malta could “draw your own conclusions” but would not be drawn into commenting on his position.
Responding to whether he would work with those who shared different views on controversial topics such as abortion – an issue that prompted him to resign from Alternattiva Demokratika, a forerunner to ADPD, due to differences with others in the party – Cassola stressed the coalition would allow members to exercise their right to a “vote of conscience” (free vote) on such topics.
Challenged on whether the proposed coalition would enjoy widespread support in the context of a surge of support for right-wing parties across the continent, Cassola rebuffed the suggestion, saying he believed there to be “many level-headed people in Malta”.
Commenting on the MEP election results, Cassola described the outcome as a loss for Labour rather than a victory for PN and stressed the importance of cross-voting, rather than simply voting along party lines.
Asked whether he thought it was fair he lost out on an MEP seat while gaining the highest number of first-preference votes, Cassola indicated his support for electoral reform but said it was “just wishful thinking without political will” to change the system.
Correction: An earlier version of this article said Arnold Cassola resigned as leader of Alternattiva Demokratika. He founded and had led the party but was not leader at the time of his resignation.