Robert Abela is facing turmoil within the Labour Party after his U-turn over the Jean-Paul Sofia inquiry, as MPs and insiders speak of a “gaffe-prone” prime minister who also appears to be losing grassroots support.

The prime minister is becoming more isolated as he faces undercurrents to “humiliate” him, colleagues told Times of Malta.

However, nobody appears to be willing to mount a leadership challenge against the prime minister for the time being, pending the outcome of next year’s European elections, at least.

Abela faced the wrath of a nation last week when he led his parliamentary group to vote against an open inquiry into the death of construction worker Jean-Paul Sofia. Just five days later, he reversed the decision, blaming the magistrate for delaying her inquiry into the incident while apologising to the family.

But party officials and MPs who spoke to Times of Malta on Tuesday said it was another embarrassing chapter which has harmed Abela, his government and party.

“He’s got no credibility. He keeps changing his mind all the time. He’s lost the trust of many of his own MPs. And he’s cut off from reality. This is not what we need from a leader,” said one MP, on condition of anonymity.

Criticism has been mounting after a series of U-turns during the pandemic before a change of mind on recent issues like the abortion law and the Sofia inquiry.

“You can never win against a grieving mother. And you can never win when you are pictured sailing away on your expensive yacht just two days after that mother confronted you,” said one senior official.

We used to say Alfred Sant was not very popular with the grassroots. I can tell you Robert Abela is even less popular- party official

He suggested Abela made the public inquiry announcement on Monday afternoon to dissuade Labour supporters from attending the evening vigil.

Others admitted feeling incredulous at the sight of Abela walking out through the main door at Auberge de Castille at the tail end of Monday night’s demonstration, which attracted thousands.

“He probably thought he was going to win applause because he accepted to carry out a public inquiry. But seriously? Who advised him to do that? It was a PR disaster,” said one MP.

“For me, this is the equivalent of the PN’s faux pax with the divorce referendum.”

In response to questions from Times of Malta, a government spokesperson said on Tuesday the prime minister decided to exit the main door of Castille because he did not want to be seen “avoiding the crowd” still present after the vigil.

Despite the internal disgruntlement, MPs and officials said it was clear that nobody is willing to challenge a prime minister who won the March 2022 election with a landslide.

“In private, they tell you one thing but at cabinet level most of them are chickens. Nobody is willing to confront the prime minister and tell him why he needs to change tack.”

Insiders said mixed messages were sent to Abela before the July 12 vote in parliament. Some MPs made it clear until the final minute that they wanted a public inquiry, others remained silent but most just aligned themselves with the prime minister’s wish.

But despite the uproar, Abela still has the support of a number of fellow MPs.

One said the prime minister genuinely believed that the inquiring magistrate was about to wrap up her inquiry and that was why he resisted calls for a public inquiry. All that changed when she asked for an extension, the MP said. 

“The PM called a public inquiry to quash the feeling that he was trying to hide something,” he said. 

Two MPs said many parliamentarians believed a magisterial inquiry was the only way to bring about justice. 

“It’s a virtue that the PM is able to listen to the people,” one cabinet minister insisted. 

Three other MPs said that, although they felt the legal argument opposing a public inquiry was correct, the government failed to control the narrative. 

“Our argument would have been won in the courtroom but it wasn’t effective in the public arena,” one of them said.

Muscat and the grassroots

Abela appears to also be facing unrest from the most unlikely faction: the grassroots.

MPs and candidates said constituents were being vocal about the fact they cannot relate to Abela’s middle-class image, a man born into relative wealth who can afford an expensive boat.

“We used to say Alfred Sant was not very popular with the grassroots. I can tell you Robert Abela is even less popular,” a party official said.

But critics also contend with the fact that Abela immediately faced the unprecedented challenge of the pandemic and then high inflation, which was hugely impacting people.

“The feel-good factor is gone. Traffic remains a headache and people have really had enough of the unbridled construction all over the place.”

The 45-year-old prime minister is also facing indirect hostility from the most unlikely person: his predecessor.

In private they tell you one thing, but at cabinet level most of them are chickens- MP

Joseph Muscat, who is believed to have endorsed Abela in January 2020, is still treated “like a demigod” by thousands of staunch Labourites. Muscat’s decision to support a public inquiry before the prime minister’s announcement on Monday was also interpreted as a challenge to Abela’s authority.

Supporters of Muscat are also not taking lightly to the fact that Abela has tried to fix rule-of-law issues which were rife during his predecessor’s tenure.

“For many of our core supporters, that’s perceived as an affront against Muscat, the man who made many people rich and changed the PL into an unbeatable force. The loyalty they have towards Muscat is almost unreal. And there is one thing which is now clear: Muscat is now out to harm Abela.”

The timing of the internal crisis might work in favour of Abela as parliament shuts down for the summer recess and people traditionally switch off politics in August.

Though MPs like Miriam Dalli, Silvio Schembri and Clyde Caruana as well as party president Daniel Micallef are sometimes touted as potential successors, there has been no attempt to oust the prime minister.

“Clearly, nobody is willing to stick his neck out at the moment. But, after next year, I suspect he will have no choice but to go, or be pushed,” said one party official.