In one of those rare instances in local politics, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat gave a positive reply to the PN’s document on Good Governance and immediately stated that he is ready to start discussing constitutional reforms. However, he made a rather bizarre condition. The editorial of the Malta Independent of Thursday 10 December described it as Kakfaesque. The Prime Minister demanded that the PN must first accept Franco Debono as Chairman of the Constitutional Reforms Commission. Only after having accepted Debono, is the Prime Minister prepared to start discuss constitutional reforms.
This statement needs to be read in the context that the Nationalist Party has strong reservations on Debono’s position as Chairman of this Commission. This is due to the trouble that Debono caused to the previous administration, including bringing down Gonzi’s Government. More importantly, Debono’s figure is not acceptable to many individuals within the Nationalist Party, including those who have worked on this document.
The Prime Minister is well aware of these facts and this is why he has come up with such a suggestion. In the light of all this, one is left with a sense of cynicism and wondering whether the Prime Minister is really acting in good faith with regard to wanting such reforms. At least, this is also the reading of the situation of the editor of the Malta Independent. Still one cannot deny that Debono garnishes support among a section of the floating voters.
This sense of cynicism increased after the news broke out that the police is investigating an alleged theft of fuel by Simon Busuttil’s driver. This story had a new twist after the Speaker lifted the suspension of Simon Busuttil’s driver as there was ‘not enough evidence to warrant such drastic action’. In the light of these events, I doubt whether the Prime Minister is playing his political game well.
The first impression our Prime Minister wishes to convey is one of wanting constitutional reforms, even though, I am not so sure whether at heart, he wants such reforms. This, he cannot state publicly, as such a statement would place him in bad light. Indeed, the fact that this Government is failing to apply the judicial reform suggested by Judge Giovanni Bonello, is a case in point. Therefore, I can only interpret the PM’s move as a political trump card. He knows that it is very difficult for the NP to bite the bullet. Therefore, by turning down his condition, the NP would appear as the Party that is stalling the much needed constitutional reforms.
On the other hand, should the PN accept Franco Debono, this would be tantamount to a political recognition of Franco Debono’s work. This would imply a first step towards Debono’s return to the PN’s fold. In this eventuality the PN risks a split creating further havoc within the Party. Furthermore, with such a move, the Prime Minister would ensure that Franco Debono’ would be bandied once again in local politics for months to come. This would undoubtedly please Franco Debono for he would continue to feature up in the media till the next election. As a politician, Debono wants this to happen.
There may be other factors to explain the Prime Minister’s proposal. There could be pressure from Franco Debono on the Prime Minister to put him (i.e. Franco) back in the limelight. With this proposal, the Prime Minister is acquiescing to Debono’s wishes and in the process soothes him by helping him boost his ego.
Let’s be frank. It is not normal for the Leader of the Labour Party to put forward the name of a candidate who comes from the other side of the political fence without bringing to mind Virgil’s words “timeo Danaos et dona ferentes” or “I fear the Greeks even if bearing gifts”.
The political game here is that the Prime Minister must show that the PN does not want Debono, in the same way that the Nationalist Party wanted Labour to appear to hinder Marlene Farrugia from being the Chairman of the Commission for the Environment.
To complicate the situation further, Franco Debono has written on Facebook a message, which can be translated as a declaration of love for the Nationalist Party while reminding the same Party how much he suffered and was humiliated under the past administration.
Beyond this political rhetoric and games, the PN now needs to react. But how will the Party react to Muscat’s provocation or challenging proposal? I think that both the Labour Party and Franco Debono believe that they have placed the PN with its back to the wall.
I think that the answer of the NP should be unequivocal. It should accept Franco Debono as the Chairman of the Commission for Constitutional Reforms, thus dispelling any reservations. However, the NP should first demand the Labour Party to accept Franco Debono as its official Labour candidate or else demand that Labour officially invite him to become one of their electoral super candidates. Should Franco Debono not be interested, it would no longer make sense for the Prime Minister to continue insisting that Debono is a pre-requisite for starting discussions on political reforms in Malta. However should Debono accept to be a Labour candidate, then the NP should have no reservation regarding Debono heading the Commission of Constitutional Reforms.
Should Labour not extend such an invitation, it would reflect badly on Labour as the Prime Minister would be supporting a politician, as chairman of the commission, in whom he has no political faith so much so that he does not want him as one of Labour’s super candidates.
The solution to this political impasse would be automatic. If the Labour Party does not want Franco Debono as one of its candidates, then the same Labour Party cannot impose him on any other party or consider him as the indispensable member for the process of constitutional reforms in Malta.