No, we are not referring to the weather – although it is hot in that respect too – but to the political scenario that seems to be evolving in these first few days of the summer.

We may still be months away from a general election, but it would seem that polling day is around the corner, judging by the way the two major political parties are at each other’s throats. No occasion is lost for politicians from either party to attack each other, be it in Parliament, at public events or through official statements, which are invariably countered by others from the opposing side.

Last Sunday, Opposition Leader Alfred Sant said that, although no election date has been set, the party is already in election mode. He said this with reference to the challenges that people are facing, the need for the country to experience a change in administration and the party’s intention to build an election campaign based on

people’s aspirations.

Right about the same time, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi was describing Labour’s mud-slinging campaign as “unfair, worrying and disgusting”, saying that the country deserves much better than the raising of doubts in its administration by the opposition.

The government has recently been hit in the face with a series of accusations that have somewhat dented its credibility, and the opposition has obviously taken advantage of these to gain political mileage.

It is part of the political game. The opposition will take anything that comes its way to harm the credibility of the government as a whole, and of individual ministers, which would inevitably also have an impact on the government’s overall image in the eyes of the people.

On its part, the government tries to play down the opposition’s accusations and condemn its tactics as not being the correct way of doing politics. The Prime Minister has, for example, criticised the contents of Dr Sant’s speech in Parliament in the presence of European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, describing it as being too “partisan” when it should have been more “national”.

We expect more of the same as the election approaches, perhaps even worse. The parties’ respective media will no doubt be very creative in creating mountains out of molehills, and will repeat stories over and over again until even the slightest misdemeanour will seem like the Watergate scandal, and all this in a bid to earn that extra vote that could secure victory.

But while this kind of politics goes down well with the diehard supporters, who will vote for “their” party no matter what it does and what mistakes it makes, it does little to influence the undecided voters, those who will eventually swing the election one way or the other. It is these

voters that the parties should be targeting, yet both are failing to do so.

These voters would like to hear more about what the two major parties are proposing for the

country, rather than listen to politicians from either side accusing each other. It is so easy to criticise, and so much more difficult to come up with proposals and counter-ideas.

Yet it is on this battleground – that is, ideas – that the election should be fought, because this is what ultimately will be the basis of the country’s future. It is on policies that the PN and the MLP should combat, because this is what will bring jobs, security and a better standard of living. It is on the course of action the parties propose to

create more and better opportunities for the

country to prosper that the people want to hear politicians speak.