One thing is certain. This election campaign has made it amply clear that politics in Malta must change. Malta is similar to pre-Thatcherite Britain – a centre left consensus among a comfortable electorate leaves no room for politicians to truly tell us what they believe, to respect our intelligence and give us a choice of real policies. The election campaign has been low on substance and high on mud-slinging, because mud is all that is left when substance is gone.

So how do we go about making the change happen? And what price, if any, are we ready to pay to do so?

Some will prioritise voting a corrupt and arrogant government out. Others will keep an incompetent, amoral Opposition from becoming a bumbling government for a second time. Still others will vote to change the entire system of governance. They will vote not to kick or keep someone out but to knock the demagogues off their pedestals and onto the chairs at the discussion table.

Which approach is best depends on what a voter really thinks is attainable. Will Labour finally get their act together and make good use of five more years in the wilderness? Will PN sort itself out or will it become more rabid if voted out? If AD or AN do win seats, will they really change the way politics is done?

Of course most will vote as they always have, whether they bother to think it through or not.

Justin BB

(J’accuse by Jacques René Zammit)