The commission that was given the task to analyse Alternattiva Demokratika’s poor showing at the recent election has now completed its work and the report can be accessed on AD’s website (http://www.alternattiva.org.mt/page.asp?n=newsdetails&i=11567)

The commission was composed of Carmel Cacopardo as chairman and Claire Bonello and Kurt Sansone as members.

AD obtained 3,810 votes in the 8 March election.

The commission reports that the AD inner core members were disappointed by the results as they expected to get anything from 5,000 to 7,000 votes. These expectations were fed and sustained by overconfidence built on the basis of the 2004 European Parliament election result.

Nevertheless, the report adds, even if AD did not manage to elect an MP, it “deflated the ego of the two main parties and today commands a morally high position since its vote is larger than the difference between the two parties... The result gives AD a basis on which to explore ways and means of collaborating with the Labour Opposition in presenting an effective moral opposition to the government of the day.”

The writing has been on the wall for quite some time, the report states. One should ask why more people chose to stay at home on election day rather than cast their vote for a third or fourth party out of conviction or in protest.

Having examined the different regions and the way the party was treated on billboards and the media, the report expresses grave concern over the party’s lack of organizational structure and its practically non-existing financing.

The report then analysed the two issues involving Harry Vassallo:

1. The VAT issue. It results that Dr Vassallo, assisted professionally, did prepare the necessary paperwork and handed them to the person effectively responsible for the business, but it appears this person did not follow through his commitments. This issue should have been resolved earlier.

2. Similarly, the Rent Reform issue put a drain on AD’s limited resources and confused its own members.