The outgoing president of The Malta Chamber, Marisa Xuereb, in an interview last week raised the question of whether politicians were living up to what could be reasonably expected of them in terms of their conduct. She suggested that, a few decades ago, people could “look up” to politicians but that now it was a “struggle” to do so.

It was an understated stinger of a comment, articulating what many, including once stalwarts of Labour, increasingly feel about this current crop of politicians. Recent surveys and analyses make it clear that a growing part of the electorate is fast losing respect for them. While support for the prime minister and the Labour Party declines, support for the leader of the opposition and for the Nationalist Party appears to be static at best. The cohort of those who feel politically homeless is growing.

At surface level, public disenchantment with our political class is easily explained. The sheer scale and depth of dishonesty (and often criminal behaviour) evident on a daily basis has led to a full-blown crisis of basic trust. Once gone, such trust is extremely difficult to regain, no matter what politicians do or say, especially among increasing numbers of floating voters.

Long-standing scandals such as Pilatus Bank and Electrogas – and, of course, the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia and everything around it – have long ago shattered the perceptions of a section of the public for whom values such as justice and rule of law are not to be compromised.

The criminal, tax-robbing behaviour exposed by the recent Vitals/Steward hospitals scandal and the sordid Rosianne Cutajar affair have now aroused the sensibilities of other parts of the electorate. This fracturing of public confidence has affected not just those politically opposed to the government but many of all but the most diehard supporters. 

The ongoing and rampant abuse of public appointments, public contracts and public property by the dominant political elite at all levels and those close to them has impacted every community, every service, every town and village.

That crisis shows all the signs of being reflected across the political spectrum into a public distrust of the political class and political life. Public disbelief and disgust is being transposed into a far from routine political crisis. 

A second core issue involves fundamental public disquiet that the very institutions of the state are being captured and abused for personal or party gain to the detriment of public and national well-being.

Again, almost everyone is impacted negatively by this, with a growing recognition of the long-term implications. 

Scandals involving the Planning Authority and the flagrant abuse of its mandate have affected many people and have fuelled public anger and even fury. The constant manipulation of public information and accountability around this and other agendas has further damaged public perceptions and confidence.

Constantly attempting to control and manipulate public discussion only serves to make matters worse.

The long history of the abuse of public office has reached new and more sinister levels. The public appears to be increasingly intolerant of the traditional Maltese way of ‘doing’ politics.

The appropriate levels of trust and confidence as well as basic honesty and respect between the population at large and the political class are now severely damaged. 

While there are many who continue to believe in traditional politics, a growing and increasingly young and vocal segment of the population has clearly signalled that ‘business as usual’ politics have been given notice.

Politicians persist at their peril.