Modern democracy is a political system that has been forged over the past 150 years. It has been an ongoing intricate puzzle built primarily on the wish that each society lives in harmony under the rule of law. A set of established principles that create rights but also obligations. Duties and commitments that are equal for all.

These rules were and are still governed by the principles of transparency, accountability, equity and justice. The foremost of all principles is that no person shall be above the law.

Our nation has embraced democracy since Independence. In more than half a century we have witnessed many ups and downs and there were times when democracy and all that it stood for were threatened. And yet we can by and large confidently state that as a country we have moved forward making giant strides in the fields of education, the economy, health and civil liberties. Indeed, even the democratic process has been strengthened by a cumbersome constitutional process even though it seems that much has still to be done!

It is with a heavy heart that I state that in the last two-and-a-half-years our vision and belief of what democracy stands for has taken a turn for the worse. I must make it clear that when I speak of democracy, I do not simply refer to the right of freedom of expression or the right to a free vote. Democracy does not only mean the absence of state violence or simply maintaining a free market. Democracy is much, much more than that.

A truly democratic society will, above all else, have a responsible government. Good governance means a transparent, objective administration unfettered by partisan and special interest pressures – a government that respects its institutions and goes out of its way to protect said institutions. In so doing, it pledges that each and every citizen is protected and is also answerable for his acts irrespective of colour or political creed.

All these notions have started to be undermined and the democratic status we have enjoyed for quite some time is increasingly being threatened. This sense of political brinkmanship was easily observed in this administration’s initial acts so close after its massive victory of 2013. Indeed, the first act out of Castille only hours after the electoral victory was the indiscriminate culling of most civil service heads. All this without any proper handover considering this government had been absent from the seat of power for so long. With the benefit of hindsight, this decision was at the least myopic and counter-productive.

Since March 2013, as the months rolled by, it has become evident that the meritocratic vision of the ‘Malta Taghna Lkoll’ was nothing more than an expedient political gimmick cynically trotted out to serve its electoral purpose. It became increasingly clear that Malta’s most important institutions were questioned and many have been torn asunder by the increasingly strong currents of partisan politics. Established norms that took years of hard work and commitment to achieve were simply brushed aside.

I shall not list all these tactical movements but will highlight just a few. A clear attempt to disturb the democratic process was the highly dubious proposal to scrap the Local Council elections held in April this year. It was only thanks to the persistent Opposition and cries from the independent media that reversed the decision. Indeed, while the elections in April were held, it is amply clear that the 2017 Local Council elections are threatened, and it is apparent the government will have its way next time around!

Transparency has become a dirty word. It is now standard government practice for this administration to do all things in secret. I cannot seem to identify a sector in which this government is acting openly, be it in engagements, salaries and remunerations, and contracts and projects of national importance.

Questions are being raised day after day by a constantly enquiring Opposition and a resilient media which is leaving no stone unturned to reveal the sleaze that is fast creeping into this fledgling Socialist administration. This government has taken up methods reminiscent of the 1980s when national and public interest were the omniscient cover for any shady and questionable dealings going on. It seems that only unswerving pressure makes Labour in government yield and this is becoming increasingly rare.

Our democratic deficit has taken a turn for the worse in the last few months. Political sleaze and highly dubious decisions made by the administration are now irritating not only those who did not support Labour at the last general election but also thinking core supporters. It is evident that the Prime Minister has a serious lack of control over his progressively rampant and profligate ministers. I suppose Muscat’s disproportionately large Cabinet (27 Cabinet members out of 39 elected MPs!) is not helping to say the least!

It would be foolhardy to predict the political shenanigans in store in the coming months. For sure the momentum is in favour of more of same as Ministers grow in confidence that no one is about to keep them in line. It is the Prime Minister’s responsibility to harness this bullishness and restore order where needed. In the meantime, the Opposition must remain consistent and vigilant on the workings of government. In a sense, it is the only way to temper this administration’s sense of invincibility!

 

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