Now that the process for electing the leader of the Nationalist Party has started, it is important to reflect on the qualities that are needed by the person who will occupy the role.
The leader of the opposition is intrinsically a prime minister-in-waiting and given the challenges that Malta is and will continue to face in the future, this conceptualisation of the role needs to be made. As economists, we feel that the choice of the opposition leader is crucial for Malta’s sustainable development.
Framing it this way, the new leader needs to present and embody a ray of hope to those who yearn to see an even better Malta. In doing so, he needs to be someone who is empathetic, yet strong. A consensus seeker and a bridge builder. A person who knows his limitations, who is humble and who seeks the required expertise around him.
He needs to be a person who sees the value in everyone, who makes room for new blood and new ideas. A team leader and builder who realises that he alone cannot offer the right solutions in today’s complex environment. Someone who shows trust and confidence, but not overconfidence. Most importantly, an opposition leader has to be someone who respects democratic values, integrity and honesty.
The list of expectations from the new leader of the opposition is long. Finding a good political leader is far from easy, finding the right person at the right time is even more difficult. In this article, we enlist, in no particular order, what we believe should be the main qualities and priorities of the opposition leader.
The leader of the PN cannot be seen as a prime minister-in-waiting if he does not manage to get his house in order
Envisioning the future: The opposition leader should be a visionary and a short-term pragmatist at the same time. We are living in volatile, highly complex and challenging times and, therefore, having a long-term vision for the country, identifying the risks and opportunities, is going to be critical.
Evidence-based approach: The new party leader needs to make evidence-based policymaking as his core by roping in multi-disciplined and professional people to advise and build clusters of excellence around him.
Balance between quality and quantity: The debate on the quality of growth needs to be started. After years of fast growth, focus needs to be on the type and quality of such growth, especially for it to be sustainable. We need a new dawn of politics that looks below the headline figures.
Digital society: Although great strides have been made, Malta did not make the leap to become a digital society. The opposition leader needs to embrace this and champion the cause to transform the way service is delivered.
Educational quality: Malta’s long-term success requires a radical rethink of its educational system and here the role of the opposition leader needs to be in offering a holistic educational reform that prepares today’s students for tomorrow.
The environment: The role of the opposition leader in this regard is to reach a consensus with industry leaders and other stakeholders on how growth can be achieved while protecting the environment. Although significant progress has been made over the last few months, challenges remain.
Equality, social inclusion: The opposition and its leader need to move away from their conservative roots and endorse diversity and build alliances across all cohorts and minorities of society. The opposition leader has to be able to understand the struggles of the different types of social cohorts and addresses them, especially the integration and inclusion of migrants.
Malta’s reputation: The new leader together with his team, has to be at the forefront in proposing reforms and in putting forth ideas on how we can give more strength to our institutions. Good governance is an important pillar of a country’s competitiveness and attractiveness and needs to be a core focus.
The party’s reputation and image: The leader of the Nationalist Party cannot be seen as a prime minister-in-waiting if he does not manage to get his house in order.
The new leader will have to start showing his worth through a reform process which needs to be painful and needs to address core issues including identity, values, structures and finances of the party.
Put together, these elements will allow the opposition to deliver a strong contribution to Malta’s future and it is in the government’s interest to have a strong opposition too. While it is the leader’s responsibility to ensure that the opposition embraces the above elements, no single person can do it alone.
The new leader depends on a strong team around him that collectively has the necessary skill set to build and execute such a vision.
More importantly, rather than being at the top, the opposition leader needs to be at the heart of the party.
Stephanie Fabri and JP Fabri are economists.