But political maturity demands that debate centres on the arguments and views, and not on people. In its smallness, our country can gain so much if we do not allow partisan politics to take over, and it can likewise lose so much if we politicise everything.”

This is what Archbishop Mgr Paul Cremona OP and Gozo Bishop Mario Grech felt the need to say in their pastoral letter for Lent, which was read during Masses over the weekend. And, although what they said is nothing new as it has been repeated over and over again for years on end, it is always good to be reminded of how noble politics can be in an ideal world.

The truth is that, unfortunately, their words will not be heeded. When the Prime Minister will today officially announce that the general election will be held on 8 March, the propaganda machines of all the political parties involved will step into gear and move off. Their aim will be to gain as many votes as possible. It matters little how they will achieve this. The important thing is to win.

There is too much at stake for the political parties to try to be nice to each other. They have never been and will never be. On the contrary, they will try to put their political adversaries in bad light, perhaps more than they will try to blow their own trumpets. They will try to denigrate each other and find fault with the respective policies, perhaps more than they will try to push their own. They will, at times, use words that show little respect to their opponents, all in a bid to earn that extra vote.

It would be better if the people learnt more of what the political parties are each proposing for a better future for this country. But, unfortunately, we will be listening more about the flaws in the proposals being made by the others, than the good things that the parties are themselves suggesting.

Politics is not dirty. It is politicians who sometimes make it dirty with their reckless declarations, more intent in throwing mud than making things clearer. It is politicians who make it dirty when they often resort to personal attacks on their adversaries, rather than try to win over the electorate with their arguments. Little do they realise that the politicians who use the tactics of attacking their opponents on a personal level are seen as being the losers – both on the issue at stake, and also in terms of the way the public perceives them.

But it is perhaps useless to say these things now. If, over a long period of time, politicians have ignored pleas to be more rational in their way of doing politics, it cannot be expected that they will start doing it now, when the election is five weeks away. If they were unable to restrain their anger and avoid trying to make political mileage with their personal jibes at their adversaries, they will not start doing it on the day the election date is announced. If, since just after the last election, the political parties have been at each other’s throats on almost any issue that came up, it is hard to imagine a softer approach between now and 8 March

If anything, matters will get worse.

And it will be a real pity, because what Mgr Cremona and Mgr Grech said does make sense.