A year after the Labour Party steamed back into power with an almost 40,000-strong majority, top government insiders spoke to Mark Laurence Zammit about the achievements, the surprises and the issues weighing down party and country.

A year into its third term in government, Labour is widely acknowledged as having performed well in maintaining a strong economy, increasing tourism, and advancing social measures. 

But Labour MPs and top government insiders are acknowledging that the government continues to reel from corruption allegations, disregard for the environment and bad decisions that are increasingly making some Labour voters angry.

Robert Abela emerged from the party headquarters balcony on March 27 last year, waving victoriously to a crowd of Labour supporters who had just learned their party swept the polls in another massive win. 

It was the endorsement Abela needed to establish himself as his own man after Joseph Muscat’s almost-godlike status within the party. 

Economic progress

A year later, government insiders, who spoke on condition of anonymity, say the biggest achievement is economic stability.

The government has managed to keep record low employment, recovering smoothly from the pandemic’s economic earthquake, increasing tourism substantially, subsidising energy prices heavily, maintaining all existing social measures, avoiding new taxes, and starting the implementation of new social measures promised in the electoral manifesto.

“In the context of a reeling global economy and a war on European soil, most EU countries continue to struggle, but we are registering very hopeful growth, and that is nothing short of remarkable,” said one source.

The government’s stance on the Ukraine war and the country’s presidency of the United Nations Security Council has cemented stronger international relations, even if it severed ties with Russia.

Pensions were increased and some popular new measures have been implemented, such as the scheme that will grant an additional €10,000 to first-time buyers.

“Despite it all, we continue to register unprecedented economic growth,” one top source said.

But it is not all a bed of roses.

Disregard for environment

Labour voters are growing increasingly frustrated with the government’s disregard for the environment with one insider saying MPs were often being told they have “screwed up Malta” in this sector.

“We widened roads, but continued to largely ignore prioritising pedestrians, cyclists and other forms of alternative transport,” one source said.

“We need to be as progressive on the environment and transport as we were on the economy and civil liberties.”

Another insider said: “One of our election promises was to invest a €100 million each year on greening the country. It’s already been a year... where is the first €100 million?” 

Clearly, the majority of Maltese are tired and frustrated at seeing the country constantly looking like one big building site. 

“Meanwhile, developers are also getting mixed messages from us. They don’t know whether we are in favour of more construction or less of it.”

Hospitals scandal and votes

For most people in the government’s top tiers, the damning court judgment on the hospitals deal was no surprise. The looming storm was almost inevitable, especially when Vitals’ and Steward’s poor investment was so clear for all to see.

But most sources said it is unfair for the PN to claim that Vitals and Steward took €400 million and ran away with it.

“A lot of that money went into paying workers and offering services. But the hospitals, St Luke’s especially, were left in an abysmal state. It’s a pity, because had the promised investment been realised, we would be saying what a good deal it was.”

To what extent did the hospitals saga dent the strong electoral majority? 

The sources were split. None of them believe it was detrimental enough to cost the party the next general election, and some said that while Labour voters might be justifiably irritated by what happened, the party will continue to be popular so long as it continues to foster a strong economy. 

The fallout is far from ideal, but also far from relegating Labour back to the opposition benches.

The pinch of inflation

But some top government sources are not as hopeful. It is true that people seem to care mainly about having money in their pockets and that seems to have been proven over the last decade of Labour victories, they said, but inflation is taking its toll. 

“I have met Labour voters foaming at the mouth at the news of a few powerful people gorging on the country’s wealth while they grapple with their supermarket bill”

“Almost everything has become more expensive, and people are clearly not happy about that,” one source said.

“The inflation problem, compounded with the accumulation of the hospitals’ fallout and the revelation of scandals and corruption cases is translating into real voter fury. 

“People are not stupid. I have met Labour voters foaming at the mouth at the news of a few powerful people gorging on the country’s wealth while they grapple with their supermarket bill.”

Inherited corruption

Others said a great source of frustration stems from the corruption stories that continue to emerge from Muscat’s era.

“It’s like we inherited them, and we are doomed to carry their burden,” one source said.

But Labour insiders who spoke to Times of Malta said that despite the often legitimate and justified criticism, the opposition remains devoid of fresh constructive ideas and is still very far from constituting a credible alternative government.

Some sources also observed that many civil service officials are becoming increasingly reluctant to implement drastic policy changes, out of fear of public or internal backlash. They would rather preserve the status quo because anything that goes wrong could swiftly cost them their jobs.

With the constant media and civil society scrutiny, they feel like all eyes are constantly on them, one source said. So, they would rather stick to what they know has worked even if that stifles change and brings stagnation.

“That is a problem because that is exactly where Gonzi’s administration was in 2013. It was stagnant and that is partly why voters ditched that government, because it wasn’t daring enough to implement much-needed changes. Let’s not go there ourselves,” he said.

The source said Abela often encourages ministers to take on bold changes, even if they might sometimes stir controversy.

Abortion issue surprise

The proposed amendments to the abortion law came as a surprise to most people in government. Abortion was not in the pipeline before the election – not even behind closed doors – and was only catapulted to the forefront of the government’s agenda following pressure from a pro-choice section within the party in the aftermath of the Andrea Prudente incident last summer.

“It sneaked up on most of cabinet and confused pro-life MPs,” one source said.

Another said the public backlash that ensued and the president’s refusal to budge on signing the law caused the amendment to be temporarily shelved.

“So much for the urgency to protect doctors and mothers,” another source said.

“I believe we should have never made it a battle between parties,” another one said.