From Mr A. Cassola

Today, everyone in Malta has certainly heard of the word “coalition”. A few weeks ago there might have been a good number of Maltese who did not know what it actually meant in a political context. Well, one must admit that we at Alternattiva Demokratika have contributed to spreading the word around.

The amazing thing is that as soon as we made known our idea of forming a coalition government after the next election, all hell broke loose. The PN has mounted a strong scare campaign to put people off voting for AD candidates. This scare campaign has gone so far that just over a week ago, Ranier Fsadni, the president of the pro PN political foundation AZAD, actually put pen to paper in his weekly column in The Times and stated openly: “I bet my bottom euro that Dr Gonzi will make good on his promise and let Labour clasp the chalice of government” (21 February).

Of course, this attitude of the Nationalist Party is nothing new to us. In fact, every time the PN starts panicking, off it goes on a harsh “fear campaign” against Alternattiva Demokratika, dishing out incorrect information about the electoral system and also disseminating a number of lies about us, as if we were the bogey man.

Do you remember Luxol in April 2003? Prime Minister Fenech Adami spent 17 minutes of his speech scaring people by declaring that a second preference for Alternattiva Demokratika meant a vote for Alfred Sant. A blatant lie. And do you recall the 2004 European elections? With the scaremongering on abortion? Another blatant lie. Now, in 2008, the PN is trying to scare the living daylights out of voters on the coalition issue, as if it were a scary topic.

Malta joined the EU in 2004. Alternattiva Demokratika worked consistently for 14 solid years to ensure Malta’s membership and we will continue to give our utmost to strengthen the role of our country in the European Union structures. The PN is trying to scare voters with the possibility of a coalition. Yet, we all know that 22 of the 27 EU member States have elected government coalitions. Are all the voters in these 22 countries bonkers?

Naturally, in order to instil fear in the voters, the PN leadership is always mentioning the Italian example. Nobody ever says that, despite its chaotic electoral system, since the end of the Second World War Italy has grown and developed into the seventh richest country in the world. Something that is known as the Italian economic miracle.

This notwithstanding, I do agree that an 11 party coalition, as in Italy, is not really manageable. However, are we going to have an 11 party coalition in Malta? Certainly not! In Malta we will have a two party coalition. In 21 countries of the European Union, coalitions are made up of two, maximum three, parties. And this is the model we, as Maltese, should aim for.

Just look at the behaviour of the German Greens in their eight years of coalition government in their country. Everyone openly recognises that they gave a strong contribution to the strengthening of their country’s role as the leading country in Europe.

And have a look at Ireland today, at the continuous progress it is making with the Greens in a coalition government. A great example of success. And what about the governments of Finland, of the Czech Republic, of Latvia, all government coalitions that include the Greens? These are all living examples of what successful government means.

As in the rest of the civilised EU, we at Alternattiva Demokratika are offering the coalition option to all Maltese and Gozitans. Our model is Ireland, a relatively small country like ours, where the people did not listen to the bigger parties’ scaremongering and actually voted for a coalition government, including Greens.

Today Ireland is the second richest country in the EU. The Irish are reaping the fruits of their success. Like the Irish, even Alternattiva Demokratika is looking forward to translating its collaboration in a coalition government into fruitful well being for all Maltese and Gozitans, independent of their political leanings.

Yes, indeed, together in a coalition everything is possible. Let’s go for it.

Arnold Cassola