Irrespective of what one thinks about how the Prime Minister should have tackled the abstention by Franco Debono, which led to the political crisis last month, it is now time to move on.

The Prime Minister has one year left in his tenure, at the very most, and then it will be time for a general election. The government, as we have said many times before, has had its moments. It has made some crucial mistakes and it has lost a lot of support in the polls. But where it counts, and we have said this repeatedly, it is functioning well.

The government’s policies, like it or not, have served as a good buffer to the economic crisis and have shielded Malta from the brunt of the fallout which has seen countries such as Greece and Spain being brought to their knees.

For all its bluster and another challenge to test to parliament(and in politics no one could expect any different), the Opposition also knows that we are at a crucial time. It also knows that it is not ready to mount a campaign for a general election at present.

This is no time for an election. This is time to buckle down and it is time for the government to put aside all its petty squabbles and get down to the business of running the country, rather than worrying about backbench outbursts.

2012 is going to be an unprecedented year for Europe. The world’s economy is slowing down and we need to make sure that this country remains stable and literally gets on with it. We cannot afford to stop, not even for a minute. In this economic climate, if the gears grind to a halt in the midst of an election campaign (as always happens on this quirky island), then we really will be caught up the creek without a paddle.

The Prime Minister had pledged that he would follow anyone with loyalty if they contested and beat him to the leadership. Now, Dr Gonzi must ensure that his rowdy backbench falls into line and does not rock the boat.

Some PL MPs have likened Dr Gonzi’s re-election to the helm of the Nationalist Party as being similar to the election results of Al Assad, Ben Ali, Mubarak and other dictators. Others have continued to call the government a regime. We really cannot understand such reasoning. This is no dictatorship. It is a healthy democracy that is trying its damndest to tread water and keep its head above the waves. The election will come in one year’s time, if Debono, Mugliett and company do toe the party line. The contest will be open and fair, just as it has been for decades. We have already been warned by the European Commission, things are not looking so good for Malta heading into this year. There is also a fear that tourism arrivals might drop, simply due to a lack of spending power on the Continent and beyond.

The country needs to focus on the task ahead, and one sincerely hopes that the opposition will contribute to that, rather than going for populist declarations. The PM now needs to show his mettle. He must make sure that his MPs toe the line. If he cannot do that, then he will have to call an early election. Time will tell.