Alternattiva Demokratika chairperson Harry Vassallo, said his party is expecting to have its own MP in the next legislature.

“We have grown too big now for voters to ignore us and not give us at least a second preference vote,” he claimed.

Speaking at the party headquarters in Sliema, Dr Vassallo thanked heavens that Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi had called a general election. He said speculation about a hypothetic election date had been rife since September. This gave rise to economic uncertainty which could be avoided with a constitutional change that would fix an election date five years in advance.

Dr Vassallo said AD had been preparing for the upcoming elections since 2003, adding that he was confident that for the first time in over 40 years, the country will have a coalition government.

The AD chairperson said he believed AD would land an MP. “Eleven out of 65 MPs were elected without reaching the quota in the last election,” he said after which he explained that the party was counting on second and third preference votes.

According to Dr Vassallo a single party government had several disadvantages as it precludes valid people from contributing to the good of the country. Dr Vassallo said AD in government would be an assurance that all resources are employed.

“Our presence in government will bring about a much needed culture change,” said Dr Vassallo, adding that the two-party system has damaged democracy in Malta.

Dr Vassallo said that in the main political parties in the coming weeks will engage in a cutthroat competition to discredit each other. By doing so, they are only discrediting the current system, he said.

He held that party diehards were terrified of losing general elections in such a system, while the Maltese tended to choose the lesser of two evils.

AD on the other hand is giving people a real and factual choice, said Dr Vassallo.

Asked whether AD’s resources would be stretched, given that general and local council elections will be held on 8 March, Dr Vassallo confirmed that AD will contest all districts. However, he said the party would announce its local council candidates in the near future.