As the latest corruption saga in Malta unfolds, our attention is focused once again on Pilatus Bank. The landslide victory of the Labour Party over Forza Nazzjonali caught a great many by surprise. Soul searching by the National Party followed, and what emerged was that scrapping Busuttil´s anti-corruption crusade was to blame for the defeat. Having stood as a candidate for Partit Demokratiku, I had made it clear at the time that I considered this a grave mistake, and I communicated it to my friends and allies on the other half of Forza Nazzjonali. The defeat was not down to the fact that the battle was being fought over corruption. Corruption, as is unmistakably clear today, is an issue of prime importance for the Maltese electorate.

So what really went wrong? With the recent WasteServ scandal, both the Nationalists and Labour admitted that not only is clientelism in Malta practised, they claimed it has always been done. Clientelism is a fundamental flaw in any democracy. It is a smack in the face of the Rule of Law, as clientelism is the purchasing of votes by politicians in return for favours. It allows hospital queues to be jumped, it means jobs for the boys; it means inefficiency, cronyism and corruption. Recently, I repeat, both major parties admitted they practice this and it is the norm.

This confirmed that the Nationalist Party was not a valid enough salesman for good governance issues. To the average Labour voter, the Nationalist Party seemed hypocritical in what it was preaching. Unfortunately, in Malta it is said that people always vote for the lesser of two evils. After Adrian Delia was elected leader of the Nationalist Party, many Forza Nazzjonali voters were shocked, because despite Daphne Caruana Galizia´s allegations against him, their own party had chosen a man that contradicted their fundamental values. It confirmed the notion that the Nationalist Party was not being driven forward by considerations for the good of all, but rather for the good of its own tribe.

At this point, I would like to say that despite all these problems, I believed and still believe in the values subscribed to Forza Nazzjonali, and I believe Busuttil was a visionary in that regard. The electoral programme promised the checks and balances which are desperately needed today to prevent clientelism and corruption. Yes, these reforms should have been instituted under previous Nationalist administrations, when they had the chance to do so. It is exactly for that reason - mistakes of the past - that swing voters did not give Forza Nazzjonali the benefit of the doubt. I think it was indeed a mistake not to give the coalition the benefit of the doubt, however, simply because I personally trust the intentions of Simon Busuttil whatever his imperfections. I overlooked the baggage of the Nationalists in the context of the coalition. That is my personal opinion.

Having said that, the Nationalist Party's potential to be that source of good governance cannot be reached for the time being. I do not say this only because of Daphne Caruana Galizia´s allegations. I say this chiefly because of the Nationalist Party's record of accomplishment since its last leadership election. To take a few, consider first the issue of the extension of Majjistral Park hunting hours. The Nationalists stood with the government against Partit Demokratiku and NGOs and allowed the hours to be extended.

On major development projects, it has voted in favour because of the businessmen it is in bed with, ignoring residents, local councils and civil society. Take for example the Villa Rosa development, which will ruin St George´s Bay.

Consider the Mercury Tower high-rise in Paceville, and the pressures on the infrastructure it will bring with it for which the Nationalists voted in favour. It has voted for fuel stations, it has proved inconsistent, and populist in its approach to most issues, not least of which includes pensions for MPs, for which PN did a resounding U-turn. And to date, only Partit Demokratiku has promised to fight clientelism.

I remain a believer in the ideals of Forza Nazzjonali, and the potential it embodied for change. Yet like Malta Tagħna Lkoll before it, it was betrayed by shady people, lobbied interests and backroom deals. I do not condemn the majority of voters or politicians on either side, but I think the country's current leadership is deeply misguided and does not signal that it will lead us in a principled direction. It is for that reason that I think that for there to be a real change, a real breath of fresh air, Malta will continue to need a third party in Parliament. Indeed, Partit Demokratiku has proved that it remains the last bastion of the real Malta Tagħna Lkoll and Forza Nazzjonali. It has proved this by its consistent battle for good governance, the environment and social justice. It is the space where people of principle from both traditions, red and blue, can find sanctuary, sanity and the way forward together.

 

Mr Alden is the Deputy Leader of Partit Demokratiku