When I was first asked to become publically involved in politics, I lay awake all night thinking about my answer. On the one hand, it would provide me with a platform to fight for what I believed in, having already involved myself in NGO work.
On the other hand, I had grown up being told to never talk about politics in public or let people ‘know my colour’, for fear of the consequences, especially professional ones. The trouble David Stellini has had finding work in Malta comes to mind, even though one would think being a Member of Parliament would be an impressive addition to one’s CV.
In the end, I decided to go for it, and what an incredible experience it has been, with its ups and downs. Nobody in my family has previously been involved in politics and I spent part of my life growing up abroad. Without any baggage or connections, my entry has been a clean one and I have always wanted to share the story of the journey.
A couple of years ago, when I was a student researching Maltese political history, it would never have crossed my mind that I would be here now, doing what I am doing. It seemed like such a daunting and unattainable challenge. I was not aware I had anything to offer. As it turns out, what sets me apart from the majority is merely that I have the will and the drive to do more than just criticise.
In the chaos following the 2017 general election, there were a lot of people pulling in a lot of different directions, with competing ideas for what Partit Demokratiku should do next. In that climate, I stepped in to try and broker a compromise, and we came together and moved forward with a renewed vision and energy.
Still being blissfully fresh to the scene, in many ways I still do not consider myself a politician in the usual sense, two years on. Like most people, I had the stereotype of a politician in my head that it had to be somebody lacking in principle and motivated by self-interest. I felt dirty mentioning that I was politically active when meeting new people in other areas of my life, and I would sometimes feel myself judged for it. Yet, my positive intentions always shine through in the end. I understand why people have become so cynical. After all, if there was nothing to fix, I would not be here bothering to try and fix it.
I also wanted to remain aware of the fact that many people who enter politics with good intentions end up being twisted and tempted to do wrong. Therefore, I was especially vigilant about trying to spot the signs that I might be compromising my core values at any given point. I need not have worried, because the negative stereotyping of politicians turned out to have been exaggerated. If so many of them are not up to scratch, it is merely because they reflect the people who voted for them, not because they are any worse as people. I have also kept good company, as corrupt politicians rarely work for third parties when the gravy train is to be found in government or with the main Opposition party.
I suppose a final observation I may make today is to describe the tribalism I witness. Every person who professes eternal loyalty to one of the two major parties has their own version of Maltese history in their heads, and they seem unwilling to ever abandon that party or its flag. They may be critical of it, at times, but many prefer to stick to what they know rather than build something new.
This is changing over time, but it is the source of much of our suffering. We assume the worst of our neighbours because they are different, and we enter a crisis of credibility because we fail to be objective and detached when we criticise each other.
It has been a stressful road thus far, heavily dependent on teamwork, communication and endurance, where mistakes come at a great price. Third parties are held to a far higher standard than the two outdated leviathans on opposite sides in Parliament, and our errors are not forgotten or forgiven as easily as the long list of real scandals belonging to others. There is no doubt that it is a journey of self-sacrifice, but it is one I have made gladly for everything that it has taught me and the sense of meaning that comes with fighting for what one believes in.