Social networking threads, comments, blogs, and articles at the moment often make mention of a klikka (clique) that has a grasp within the Nationalist Party. So much so that the klikka is now pulling strings to sway or direct the PN to oust unfavoured candidates, or conversely to elect its pick.
Insiders, or those privy to the party, will probably not deny this. If asked who they think this cabal of individuals is, they will almost certainly give their hunch, though it will only get as far as their best guess. The very mention of it makes the klikka even more mysterious, fuelling conspiracy theories about how the party is hostage to a few anointed ones. Some allege also that bloggers and co might be part of the plot.
A few years ago, a similar complaint was levelled at the then-PN leadership, only back then it was called the “oligarchy” rather than the klikka.
My suggestion is that notions of klikkek should be toned down. And I’ll say why.
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Claims that a klikka is close to the elite and tries to influence or destabilise it are actually a frequent historical occurring. Especially in Malta.
In recent history, several leadership races were characterized by the shadows of klikkek, overt and not. In his book Jien u Għaddej mill-Politika, the late Lino Spiteri dedicated a chapter to Ittri u Montaturi (Letters and Conjectures). Here goes the opening:
“Meta t-tabib George Vella rtira milli jersaq għall-kariga ta’ Mexxej tal-Partit Laburista u dħalt jien fost dawk li ħarġu għaliha wara li reġgħu nfetħu n-nomini, klikka żgħira malajr fasslet ittra anonima.”
In a nutshell, an anonymous letter penned by a clique, ultimately led to Spiteri’s candidature for party leadership to be questioned. For the record, he scored the highest number of votes in the first round, but lost the second to Alfred Sant.
If we rewind back to the prelude to Eddie Fenech Adami’s election as PN leader, talk was rife of two klikkek (factions) that dominated the PN landscape. The faction supporting George Borg Olivier counted six MPs, whilst that urging his resignation included 21 MPs. The late Sandy Cachia Zammit, a Borg Olivier loyalist, would subsequently denounce the brash attitude of people supporting Dr Fenech Adami, aiming to remove Dr Borg Olivier.
George Vital Zammit.
Whichever way you see it, politics is about the successful lobbying of people and/or ideas against each other.
Where any group of individuals hold power, it is likely that some will cluster around a figure, an idea, or a mission. We see this wherever people gather, at the place of work, in political parties, in religious institutions, everywhere. It is useless being paranoid about it.
It is inevitable. In other circles it is referred to as group dynamics.
Klikkek will never cease to exist. They are created isomorphically wherever there is power. Whining about their presence will get you nowhere. But perpetuating their strength, consciously allowing a klikka to dominate or discriminate intentionally, or bending the rules of the game to clinch and stay in power, can be self-destructive.
The very concept of party loyalty has changed. Aggrieved members will unlikely keep their discontent under wraps. As we’ve seen lately, members as high up as MPs have no qualms about venting their anger and frustrations. This is after all the era of social networking, and any affliction is posted on Facebook for maximum impact.
The PN leadership race in this respect has been a sorry spectacle. After a resounding defeat, some within the party took the opportunity to lash out with a vengeance. They stuck and twisted the dagger in the leadership’s back with relish.
Maybe style and prudence are things of the past.
Whoever the next leader will be, he needs to restore confidence and trust. The PN needs to restart, rebuild, revive and renew. If any cue can be taken from Joseph Muscat, it is that as soon as he became Labour Party leader, he worked tirelessly to dismantle factions and bring klikkek together behind a common cause.
If the PN can do this and rally behind its leader, it may start again to think that it can become another political force that can be reckoned with in the years to come.