PN – at the crossroads

Thanks to the resignation of Bernard Grech as party leader, the Nationalist Party is now in the spotlight.

In any political analysis, it must be recognised that political parties should be the life blood of the democratic process we praise so unreservedly as the best option for civil development.

It is a foregone conclusion that one expects different political parties to embrace different ideologies which they believe are in best interest of the country’s welfare. There would obviously be no point in having two parties if their ideology did not differ.

For many years now, Malta has been dominated by the two major political parties. The Labour Party believes in the socialist ideology while politics influenced by Christian democratic values have so far been the claim of the Nationalist Party.

It is a reality that no political party retains power indefinitely. No political party can claim to have always lived up to its ideals and not been scarred by incompetence, dishonesty or corruption. We are human and perfection is always elusive.

However, it would be unfair not to admit that certain chapters of our history have been scarred by unacceptable low standards of government.

Sadly, we have come to see that morality and high principles no longer have a place in politics. Any method seems to be justified so long as it ensures the retention of power.

We have witnessed to what extent the socialist model of government reduced Malta in the early 1980s as they were intoxicated with the messianic belief that only the Labour Party could redeem the working class and ensure Malta’s prosperity.

I believe that the ideology influenced by Christian democratic principles has far better outcomes. Its aim is clearly focused on promoting the common good and realising that all sectors in society deserve to play a role in fashioning their country’s destiny. By its philosophy, it encourages families to flourish and prosper, and ensures that power is diffused to the lowest possible level, thus empowering people as much as possible.

That governments change is a healthy process in democracy as it ensures that no man, or group of men, is given uncontrolled and indefinite power over others.

If a voter is faced between choosing two prostitutes, he will choose the professional- Klaus Vella Bardon

It is therefore crucial for Malta to have a viable and credible alternative government.

Although there are many who have done very well for themselves by joining the bandwagon, it is still unbelievable that a political party that has been so embroiled in corruption still manages to hold on to popular support. But one does not expect the PN to win by default. Malta deserves a lot better.

For many years now, the PN has failed to realise that its lacklustre performance is linked to its abandonment of its core principles. Despite its loss of power, it has failed to re-examine and strengthen itself.

On the contrary, it has tried to emulate the Labour Party with the false argument that it lost power because it was not ‘close to the people’!

Repeatedly, it has shown hardly any opposition at all to laws that were imposed top down, laws that denatured the family, that promoted the woke ideology, etc. All these laws are a blatant contradiction of declared Christian values. Thankfully, the PN voted against the legalisation of cannabis, a decision that has led and will lead to the further corruption and suffering of our youth.

However, the general pattern has been distressing, as the PN leadership tried to win over votes with ambiguity and co-operation with the government on issues that were clearly not in the interest of the common good when, for example, they agreed with the free dispensation of contraceptives and potential oral abortifacients.

It should not succumb to the false concept of being progressive, which usually implies abandoning time-honoured traditions.

As one contact told me, if a voter is faced between choosing two prostitutes, he will choose the professional. This is a sharp but sad indictment of an unprincipled party that tries to play up to everybody.

We need a party that makes a clear break with dubious financial backers and interest groups who have no loyalty except to their own pocket and narrow agenda. The PN has to ensure that if in government, it will pursue justice without fear or favour.

Also, the PN must be proactive and not held hostage to any pressure from quarters with vested interests. At times, its behaviour reminds me of the Aesop’s fable, The Man, the Boy and the Donkey – as it tries to pander to the mood of popular opinion.

As the PN chooses a new leader, it is vital that each candidate should make his views known on core values with absolute clarity.

Besides having the necessary leadership qualities, he should be competent and have the ideals required to make the difference.

Voting for a candidate who tries to please everybody and is hesitant to take a principled stand on serious issues might win initial support but, in the long run, will be destined to fail.

It will not be in the long-term interest of either the party or the country.

Klaus Vella Bardon