I refer to the letter The man who fails by J Aquilina carried by TMID on 22 March.

The expression “to vote with your feet” is a licit political expression. When I stated that the Maltese electorate voted with its feet, I simply meant that the electorate exercised its democratic right to boycott the local councils elections and not vote, sending a message to all politicians. It was never my intention to criticise or chastise the electorate for their choice. Indeed I publicly described such absence from voting as a form of voting in itself.

The fact that the use of such political expression – in common use – was misinterpreted was due to a passing comment by one journalist at a press conference held by the Prime Minister.

I am glad to note that since then both The Times and The Sunday Times have used this expression themselves to describe voters’ abstinence, thus furthering legitimising the use of this political expression.

Tonio Borg

Deputy Prime Minister

VALLETTA