Editorial: Victory with a warning

The Labour Party’s election victory was hardly surprising, even if it has now set an electoral record.

There is no doubt Labour is seen by many as the guarantor of economic stability and prosperity.

Labour remains an exceptionally effective electoral machine, combining the advantages of incumbency with a relentless and effective communications strategy.

And that economy has helped the government successfully steer the country through the pandemic, inflation and the economic fallout of war. Consumer spending remains strong, tourism is booming, and unemployment is low. For a significant portion of people, daily life still feels comfortable enough to justify staying the course. Labour has also rediscovered some of its socialist soul in recent years - and that is a very positive thing.

The Nationalist Party, meanwhile, lost its fourth successive general election, but this defeat is different to previous ones. There was no longer the internal division or lack of energy that weighed it down.

Credit is largely due to Alex Borg, who, in just eight months, injected optimism into a party that spent years appearing tired and directionless. He restored a sense of belief among supporters, and his positivity was contagious – a rare commodity in politics.

The PN's problem is that it lacks depth, both organisationally and in policy development, and the shortage of experience became evident in the way electoral proposals were formulated, communicated and defended throughout the campaign.

Borg also made strategic choices that deserve scrutiny. Like Abela, he largely avoided confronting some of the country’s most pressing concerns, including overdevelopment, planning reform and corruption. At the same time, the PN sought to court constituencies that were unlikely to abandon Labour, including the hunting lobby.

In the process, many pro-environment voters were left politically homeless. Some abstained, and others turned to smaller parties.

Economic growth has provided political cover for decisions that have gradually eaten away at our quality of life, from excessive noise to traffic to stretched infrastructure

Labour supporters have every reason to celebrate, but yesterday’s result also contains a warning. The party’s once formidable supermajority has been substantially reduced – and that is healthy for democracy.

A shrinking majority suggests growing unease with aspects of the status quo and the direction the country is taking.

As a seasoned politician, Abela would be wise not to ignore the frustration and the fact that the PN made gains in every single district.

Economic growth has provided political cover for decisions that have gradually eaten away at our quality of life, from excessive noise to traffic to stretched infrastructure.

There is one other thing that we cannot ignore. Electoral campaigns have increasingly become exercises in outbidding opponents with costly promises. And the final days before voting have seen quite possibly an unprecedented flurry of public-sector recruitment and political favours.

Such practices may yield short-term political rewards, but there is an increasing number of voters who have had enough of these cheap tactics.

So what happens from today? Abela will be back at Castille but he knows there is renewed pressure on inflation and public finances.

He probably knows that some of his most costly electoral promises will need to be delayed or even shelved. He also knows he may soon have to contend with any looming fallout from the murder trial of Daphne Caruana Galizia.

In other words, governing may soon become more complicated than campaigning.

And on the other side of the fence, the PN will have to regroup and pick up the pieces for yet another legislature in opposition. But the election result is not the death knell many had predicted.  Borg lost this contest, but his authority has actually been strengthened. The PN should resist any temptation to change its leader.

The PN’s challenge is to transform momentum into substance and demonstrate a greater willingness to take clear positions, particularly on environmental issues. What it should not do is simply try to be another version of Labour. Because when that happens, the electorate tends to stick to the incumbent.

People voted for continuity, but the next five years may demand change.