We have now begun a crucial year, politically speaking, in preparation to the European Parliament election and the local councils election which will be held in late May.

Tempers are already rising as can be seen by the virulence of political comment and controversies.

The fracas that took place among members of the audience at Friday’s Xarabank programme is another indicator of rising tempers.

The political parties’ media have been showing videos of the clash and pointing fingers at people from both sides. As happens many times, it is next to impossible to ascertain who was responsible. It seems very clear that activists from both sides were ready to join the fray as soon as this happened, which it duly did.

As it is, no bones were broken and the only visible incident showed people falling on each other on the steps of the auditorium where Xarabank is held.

Party officials and the Xarabank presenter were promptly on the scene to calm things down and the programme could thus be brought back to its former order or a semblance of it.

Nevertheless, it is a bad sign – that political tempers are already fraying. An analysis of the weekend political speeches also shows tempers are rising.

Things are already bad enough as it is with manifold charges of corruption. All it needs is matters going from the verbal level to the physical one.

Xarabank is probably the only discussion programme on the TV scene which allows public participation. But following Friday’s fracas the Xarabank organisers must be on the look-out to nip any further incidents in the bud.

We may soon see public meetings being organised and these too can offer many opportunities for mischief. The parties must get a grip on themselves and be organised, not so much to defend those on their sides as to ensure that incidents do not take place and that people do not get hurt.

Malta’s political rhythm is still the same – problems begin to appear in the second term of a government. So we are right on time, it seems. The two parties are gearing up for the clash that will be the next general election.

Maybe some readers will say we are making a mountain out of a molehill after a small, easily circumscribed, fracas.

But there are many hotheads around and the parties must get them under control as soon as they can.