I think that Dr Muscat was the second-best option they had, considering that he has no connections with Labour’s past and will, I am sure, bring about a change of mentality.

But then, a week later, the same delegates, rather than going for someone young such as Carmelo Abela or Gavin Gulia, opted to take the party back 20 years by electing Anglu Farrugia and Toni Abela as deputy leaders.

Dr Farrugia and Dr Abela are known for their grassroots and diehard approach. They cannot be considered as being moderate, as Dr Muscat is.

So there you have it. Rather than build a team with a common front, Labour delegates have already themselves chosen conflict in the leadership. Dr Muscat, on the one side, will be going for moderation, while Dr Abela and Dr Farrugia will be his undoing with their outspokenness.

It is a real pity that the MLP missed the chance of electing someone who is more appealing to the floating voters as Mr Abela and Dr Gulia were. Instead, they chose people who will push the neutral people away from the party. By doing so, Labour run the risk of losing the next election too.

Charles Mifsud

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