Timely political sixth sense

Let me come straight to the point. If the Lisbon Treaty comes into force before June 6, Maltese citizens will be voting to elect six members of the European Parliament. If, as expected, the Lisbon Treaty - which gives Malta a sixth EU parliamentary seat - will not yet have come on stream we will be voting to elect only five MEPs.

The question is how will the Maltese go about choosing the sixth MEP if the Lisbon Treaty comes into effect after June 6?

There are three possibilities.

One, Parliament could nominate the sixth MEP from among its members.

Two, we could hold another national election to elect the sixth MEP.

Three, the candidate who places de facto sixth in June's elections could be Malta's sixth MEP when and if the Lisbon Treaty finally comes into force. The third route is my favourite one and I intend to move a resolution in the House proposing its adoption.

Option one, Parliament's nomination of the additional MEP, robs the Maltese democratic electorate of an opportunity to exercise its democratic right to choose its representatives directly.

Option two, the holding of yet another election to choose one additional MEP, is an unnecessary expense and politically confusing, especially in a period when the country needs every cent it has and all the unity it can muster.

Option three is the only reasonable solution.

Alternattiva Demokratika agrees and has called for a parliamentary resolution to this effect. Many Nationalists have privately expressed the view that option three is the only truly democratic one and that any other option would add to the perception that their party is expecting defeat and is preparing for the worst.

PN leader Lawrence Gonzi and his shrinking entourage are alone in advocating a choice between options one and two.

Come June, he said, Malta will be voting for five MEPs, "while the ways and means of electing an MEP for the sixth additional seat would be decided upon at a later date". It's the good old game. Keep everyone guessing. Wait for the outcome of the European Parliament elections on June 6, then - "at a later date" - flash your joker card.

Doesn't take much political sixth sense to see through this.

Dr Muscat is Leader of the Opposition and of the Labour Party.