“If you abstain, it is terrible. It is terrible. It is like Pontius Pilate. You give in to the crowd. And the crowd always chooses Barabbas… every time.”
That is the great Roberto Benigni talking in his marathon monologue on the Italian constitution about having an interest in politics and to vote.
This is a dilemma many will face this Saturday. The country grants them the right to vote in both the European and local council elections, but some will reject it.
They will argue these are not national elections to elect a new government. They will argue they have had enough of politics. The Florentine comedian has a useful word of advice: “Not having an interest in politics is like having no interest in life.”
As to whether to vote or not, paraphrasing what Benigni said, every voter has more power than they realise on the outcome. “The most terrible thing is to abdicate our responsibility. Not to vote.”
The latest poll commissioned by Times of Malta thankfully indicates fewer people than forecast last April will actually stay away from the ballot booth. Still, a week is a long time in politics. Worse, it cannot be excluded that, this being a highly politicised country, quite a few are unwilling to admit they will not vote.
These are mid-term elections, and a general election is still too far away – the latest it can be held is 2027 – though, of course, the prime minister can blow the whistle any time he pleases. An early election may well be possible if Robert Abela is pleased with this weekend’s outcome.
Only last weekend, he interpreted this Saturday’s vote as also a vote of confidence in him to carry out further reforms and move the country forward. That may well be indicative of what he could have in mind.
Regretfully, European issues as such were hardly debated during this electoral campaign. That is, if one puts aside the silly note of caution issued by the Broadcasting Authority about reporting on activities involving the president of the European Parliament, who happens to be star Nationalist candidate Roberta Metsola. Or the ridiculous warmongering accusations levelled at her.
Neither did local government matters as such come to the fore. The campaign was largely dominated by the hospitals scandal.
Genuine Labourites, no doubt, find themselves between a rock and a hard place, faced as they are with former leading party exponents facing serious criminal accusations.
On the other hand, loyal Nationalist supporters keep wondering why their party has failed to claw back the disgruntled voters and not managed to make any significant inroads.
However, rather than discouraging voters to exercise their sovereign right, this sorry state of affairs should, on the contrary, convince them it is increasingly essential they choose and make the right choices. There are decent candidates on the ballot sheet who deserve a stint in the European Parliament and on your council. There are, of course, several candidates whose name does not deserve to be on the ballot sheet.
Here is a golden opportunity for the electorate to prove, through their vote, that they do not think all politicians are the same. Benigni again: “When we say that politicians are all the same, we do a great favour to the wicked, to the dishonest, to the stupid. Because it indicates we are unable to distinguish between them. They enjoy this. Because it is as if we have not recognised them for what they are.”
These two days of reflection are a good opportunity to separate the propaganda from actual performance on the ground. The electorate can then prove that, in a democracy, it is the most powerful. Forget Barabbas.