Wishful thinking!

As far as I know, and as far as the rest of the world has recognised, including the Socialist International, of which the Labour Party is a member, the yes vote won the referendum on EU membership. However, not surprisingly, the Labour Party has interpreted the result of the referendum in the most absurd manner possible, turning the sure no minority into a victory of 52 per cent and reducing the 53.6 per cent yes vote into a 48 per cent minority. So, according to Alfred Sant, "partnership" has won.

I would like to remind him that the Maltese people voted for and against EU membership but the concept of "partnership" was not mentioned in the referendum question. Therefore, if anything, the no vote has won, and not Dr Sant's "partnership".

However, this is definitely not the case. Every election is won and lost on the basis of actual votes cast and not on those eligible to vote, and this procedure is universally recognised, except by our Labour Party. According to the official results issued by the electoral commission, nine per cent of eligible voters did not go and vote and, amazingly enough, all these potential voters, according to Dr Sant, are no votes, including the people who invalidated their vote. How can this be? How can one possibly interpret these results in this manner?

It is a known fact, also admitted by George Vella in a recent article, that in every general election, about four per cent of the eligible voters do not vote. Therefore, this percentage should not be included as no votes - not to mention those Maltese citizens who died, were sick or were abroad and could not cast their vote. How on earth could these be considered as "No" votes!

Even though the latter calculations should not even be taken into consideration because, as I said, the no votes and the yes votes count, I thought it would be a good thing to refresh the minds of those who have forgotten how to analyse results fairly and democratically. These are absurd interpretations and I appeal to all those who have the same feelings to condemn such undemocratic actions by a party that represents thousands of Maltese citizens.

Dr Sant, such interpretations are called "wishful thinking"!