At 3.14pm, Sunday, March 27, Joseph Muscat uploaded his cynical post: “The movement we gave birth to together, not only is still alive but is even stronger than ever before.” Labour’s One media had just announced that Labour’s lead over the PN would exceed 41,568 votes.

As expected, and predicted, Muscat claimed Robert Abela’s massive victory for himself. In his 232-word Facebook post, Muscat could not bring himself to mention Abela, let alone congratulate him for his victory.

Muscat’s bitter rage was palpable. His Facebook post was entitled “Il-Moviment reġa’ rebaħ” (The movement has won again).

So, for Muscat it wasn’t Abela who won. It wasn’t even Labour. No, it was “the movement” because the movement was his, and only his, his very own creation and nobody else’s.

Others can claim Labour but nobody can claim “the movement” – that belongs to him. And it is his movement that won. For emphasis, Muscat added “again”.

Muscat wanted to leave not the slightest doubt that this is that very same movement that won before, his movement, and that Abela has no credit and no claim to this amazing victory that eclipsed the previous ones. No, for Muscat, it is the natural continuation of the movement that he built.

“What we did was not something of political convenience,” he continued, “but a political, social and economic project that transformed Malta and will continue to transform it.”

What we did, he emphasised.

Not what Labour did, or what Abela, or, at least, Abela’s team did. It was the royal ‘we’.

What Muscat is saying and what he really means is: “This is all thanks to me. I have changed this country and that bright future is owed to me, this victory is mine.”

From then on, Muscat descended into the “partnership won” logic he dangerously promoted when Malta voted to join the European Union. According to the distorted logic of Muscat, “the last time the PN won the support of an absolute majority was in 1992”. What?

You see, according to Muscat, the 1998 election was premature and in the context of a crisis; in 2003 it was a decision in favour of joining the EU and, in 2008, it was just a relative majority.

The absurdity of Muscat’s reasoning may be a result of his bitterness at losing his crown of leader with the biggest majority ever. But it isn’t. That distorted logic has always been his trademark. Applying his “partnership” calculations shows that Labour actually only won 47.9 per cent of the total votes – 52,500 didn’t collect their votes or didn’t bother to vote or may have passed away and 133,573 voted for other parties. Which means 186,073 didn’t vote Labour. And 170,002 did.

Of course, only Alfred Sant and Muscat would stoop to such utter nonsense. If it were up to Sant and Muscat, Nationalist supporters would be down in the streets celebrating their “victory”. That is what had happened after the EU referendum – Labour supporters had been brought out onto the streets to celebrate Muscat’s lie that “partnership won”.

The only thing the people have resoundingly rejected is Joseph Muscat and his spoilt demands for undivided attention. Well done Robert Abela- Kevin Cassar

Faced with an unprecedented massive majority and a glorious victory for Abela’s Labour Party, Muscat can only dwell on the 38,027 who chose not to vote at all. “The Labour Party must self-reflect and analyse the reasons for the unprecedented number of people who chose not to vote,” Muscat commented. At the moment of elation and joy for Labour, Muscat is there to dampen the jubilation. Muscat spitefully highlights those who chose not to vote, splenetically trying to pick flaws in Abela’s perfect triumph.

Muscat just can’t take it.

Abela has outshone him despite his unwelcome interference, his uninvited presence, his malicious scheming.

Despite the spokes Muscat placed in Abela’s wheels, Abela won the coveted prize. And, no matter what Muscat claims about his movement’s victory, this was Abela’s victory.

Abela has eclipsed Muscat and Muscat will never forgive him. Abela is now Labour’s new darling, its new Kink. And Muscat, well, he petulantly laments his demotion from the mythical status he once enjoyed.

With his typical self-absorbed, maladjusted selfish streak, Muscat simply could not bring himself to congratulate Abela. Muscat only has veiled threatening messages for his successor: “Nobody should let it go to his head” (“Ħadd m’għandu tikbirlu rasu”).

He cannot stomach the adulation Abela now enjoys. “Unity is what’s required” (“Se jkun hemm bżonn l-għaqda”) he darkly warns.

The message for Abela is clear: don’t discard me, don’t even dare cut me loose. Only with “unity”, our unity, can the future be beautiful, Muscat cautions. If you break with me, your future will be far from beautiful.

“It is also clear that the negativity that we were again subjected to has been rejected by the people,” Muscat insisted. Which negativity is that now?

Is it the negativity of the truth behind the thousands of euros he earned from Accutor AG, the company that was paid millions of euros by Steward Health Care on the day they took over the hospitals’ concession?

Or maybe the negativity around the over €120,000 he collected in termination benefits? Or the truth around the government offices he was given for his private use and which was kept secret from the public? Or the justified criticism of Abela’s rejection of freedom of information requests relating to Muscat’s termination agreements? Probably, he’s referring to the search at his home and offices as part of the investigation into his role in the Vitals scam.

No, the people did not reject that. The only thing the people have resoundingly rejected is Muscat and his spoilt demands for undivided attention. Well done Abela.

Sign up to our free newsletters

Get the best updates straight to your inbox:
Please select at least one mailing list.

You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By subscribing, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing.