There was an unexpected kind of drama during the last parliamentary session of the year last week.

The temporary absence from the House of Representatives of Nationalist MP Franco Debono forced the Speaker, Louis Galea, to use his casting vote on two occasions before the Ghaxaq lawyer turned up later to vote with the government on the setting up of two select committees.

Dr Debono was hunted by journalists on the following days to give an explanation, and it took quite some time for him to make an appearance to say that he had “no intention of toppling the government”.

In the meantime, speculation on Dr Debono’s reasons for his behaviour mounted. The possibility of a return to party politics by Dr Galea – who lost his place on the government benches to Dr Debono before being named Speaker – following the appointment of John Dalli as Malta’s Commissioner to the European Union and Dr Debono’s disappointment at not being given a place on the Cabinet were among the many motives that were spun on the media as having been the motives for his absence.

These rumours continue even now that Dr Debono has explained his position. Things are still not clear. The visit made by Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi to Dr Debono’s private residence is, for one, too unusual not to raise suspicions. The two, however, deny any abnormality.

What is sure is that this particular incident brought to the fore the weakness of a government with a one-seat majority. Having just one disgruntled member can set everything on fire. And it makes it possible for that disgruntled member to hold the Prime Minister, the government and the country at ransom.

It happened 11 years ago with the Alfred Sant government, when the then Labour leader had been unable to control an internal strife which led him to call an early election, just 22 months after the previous one; it is happening again now. And although last Monday’s House business was not a vote of confidence in the government and neither was it a money bill – and therefore the government had no risk of collapsing – Franco Debono’s disappearance showed just how flimsy the government’s position is, or could be.

A one-seat majority is never comfortable. Earlier in the year, several backbenchers, including Dr Debono, had created so many ripples as they voiced their concern about the way the country was being administered. Some were doing it in a genuine way, while others seemed more concerned with what they could have achieved on a personal level.

It is no secret that there are several Nationalist backbenchers who expected, and still expect, to be called up by Dr Gonzi to form part of the Cabinet. They may even raise their heads again next month when Mr Dalli – if he passes the European test – resigns his position as Social Policy Minister and “forces” Dr Gonzi to reshuffle his team, or at least make one or more additions.

Another disappointment for them could once again push them out in the open, making declarations that are harmful to the government’s stability.

Dr Gonzi will not have an easy Christmas. He needs time to reflect on what moves he needs to make now that Mr Dalli is likely to move to Brussels. Will he seek to satisfy the hunger of those who have been complaining – rightly or wrongly – or will he just go for minimal changes that will leave too many unhappy backbenchers?