We all have our regrets. Looking back on our own personal lives, we all made our mistakes and, given the chance, we would not make the same decisions we took in the past. With hindsight, we all would have taken the proverbial different corner if we could go back in time.
The history of this country would also have been different if certain events that took place never happened or, perhaps, happened before.
For example if, in 1981, the electoral system allowed the Nationalist Party to govern because it had obtained the majority of votes – but not the majority of seats – then is possible that Malta would have joined the European Union with Portugal and Spain in 1986.
That would have been long before the Berlin Wall came down, opening the way for a much different Europe and delaying Malta’s eventual entry. If Malta had joined at that time, the country now would have benefited more from 22 years of membership. In actual fact, Malta had to wait until 2004 to become a member state, together with nine other countries.
It is hard to imagine what Malta would have been like today if it had become an EU member in 1986. What is certain is that Spain and Portugal made great advances in the first few years of membership, when they had become the 11th and 12th member state. Joining with another two member states is one thing, joining with another nine, eight of which had emerged from communism, is another story.
To reverse the argument, Malta could still be out of the European Union if the Malta Labour Party had finished the five-year legislature that started in 1996. The MLP government had then frozen Malta’s application to join the EU, effectively breaking the momentum that had been generated since Malta’s formal application in 1990.
If the Labour government had not collapsed because of its internal strife, and possibly even won the subsequent election, then Malta would have most probably still been out of the EU.
These are only two examples of how Malta could have had a different history if things did not happen the way they did. Of course, matters cannot be debated with “ifs” and “buts”, because life is much more complicated than that. But the above two examples should make us all reflect on the importance of the decision we are about to take collectively in the coming election.
In a few weeks’ time, we will be deciding on the course we will be taking for the next five years. Will we give the Nationalist Party a third consecutive mandate? Or will we put the Malta Labour Party in government? Will we elect a third and/or fourth party in our Parliament, or are we happy with the duopoly?
Does the PN merit a third term because, in spite of its mistakes, it has the better vision and deserves to continue to reap the benefits of the early years of European Union membership which, after all, was an achievement the PN strongly fought for? Or should we choose the MLP, which is promising a change for the better and a fresher approach? Is a coalition government that is being strongly advocated by the smaller parties the best way for Malta’s future?
These are the questions that will be answered when we cast our vote. Those who will not be voting will also be responsible for the collective decision that will be taken.
Like all decisions taken in previous elections, the one we will soon make will determine the future of our country, the road that we will resume or embark upon. And we all hope that history will show that the corner we are about to turn is the right one for the country.