On July 12, the Nationalist opposition used its window of opportunity to determine parliament’s agenda by moving a motion proposed by Bernard Grech that a public inquiry be held relating to the tragic death of Jean Paul Sofia. 

A barrage of propaganda was let loose on the Labour Party media, and its acolyte, PBS, on the futility of such an inquiry, including a preposterous assertion that such an inquiry would do more harm than good. Forty Labour MPs slavishly voted against the opposition motion. There will be no public inquiry. Period.

On July 17, the government, with its tail between its legs, embarrassingly changed track. There will be a public inquiry,  after all. The much hated ‘public inquiry’, so horrendous that   its name should not even be uttered, will take place.

I cannot even imagine the political embarrassment and fall-out experienced by all those who, in order to protect their rank or position, or to avoid losing their lucrative perks, salaries or consultancies, slavishly succumbed to Robert Abela’s wishes that there shall only be a magisterial inquiry and nothing else.

On the Labour Party media, there even appeared, on one occasion, the justice minister explaining to us, ordinary mortals, and actually writing and listing on a whiteboard, the advantages of a magisterial inquiry as against a public one.

Now the government, following the first U-turn regarding the abortion bill, has done a second one. This time on the Sofia inquiry. These U-turns also reveal the extent to which a government can be so arrogant as to lie to our face, thinking that everything will smooth out by the lapse of time. That remains to be seen.

A vigil organised spontaneously was massively attended by persons from all walks of life, including members of the younger generation who, like us all, are withstanding the suffocating environment of a government past its expiry date. 

What with corrupt hospital deals being annulled by the courts of justice, workers dying  on construction sites with no apparent resolve to put things right, dubious consultancies to persons previously in power, accounts opened in tax havens, public projects reeking of corruption, public money being squandered and distributed among the chosen few, an environment ruined by insensitive planning, a Planning Authority playing the tune of construction magnates: no wonder 70 per cent of our youth would like to leave Malta and reside or work abroad. But last Monday was a glimmer of hope: that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

The prime minister could no longer stay relaxing in nearby Sicily while his own house was on fire- Tonio Borg

In the first U-turn, the change of heart revealed what the ‘negative’ opposition and civil society were all saying, namely, that the original bill allowed abortion on demand. The very fact that the bill was radically changed, much to the dismay of the pro-choice lobby, whose members actually hurled insults at government MPs when the latter changed it, is proof that the original version was pro-choice and against life.

Now, in this second U-turn in the span of a few weeks, it is evident that the government was wrong in refusing a public inquiry and the opposition, for so long maligned as being only ‘negative’, has been proved right once again. What could have provoked such a 360-degree change in direction?

There is no doubt that the rage and anger expressed by Isabelle Bonnici’s family and the callous reaction of all government MPs must have struck a chord somewhere. The petition proposed by Bonnici, which garnered the support of over 30,000 people within a few days, must have also been an important factor; but what I believe tilted the scales in favour of conceding defeat was Joseph Muscat’s position against Abela and the General Workers’ Union’s position in favour of a public inquiry.

The prime minister could no longer stay relaxing in nearby Sicily while his own house was on fire. Was it the beginning of a palace revolt, an unease permeating within his party? An attempt to have a change in leadership or a warning signal to change track?

Only time will tell. What we do know now is that when civil society and all persons of goodwill, whatever their political opinion, unite, no parliamentary majority can resist such pressure. It will buckle. As it has done so twice already. 

Tonio Borg is a former European commissioner and deputy prime minister.