In any electoral campaign, I invest much in observation and listening. Gradually, hidden issuesabout the Maltese themselves and their political leaders are perceived. Something I have noticedis the barren feminist-critical voice in this political drama.The supposed Maltese feminist critics are fitfor academic preaching, but in suchcritical moments urging their voices to be heard they are either fearful,orindifferent due to their partisan inhibitedstrains.

In America, Trump wasconfronted for exhibiting hyperactive masculinity and encouraging toxic masculinity. His political, and even his personal life,wasclosely scrutinized. Feministscould notaccept the violent image that Trump was sending through his political campaign. It was a ferocious and deceitful image, relying on vicious dishonesties, hypocrisy and a macho induced language. What about our men in politics?

Though the Maltese feminist have fled to their safe spaces, every Tom, Dick and Harry have already been comparing the masculine energies of our political leaders and figures of national authority. This is the predominant discourseout there:the Police Commissioner’s aloofness expresses politicalcastration,the Attorney General’s inactivity oozesapathy, Castile related to a gangsterdressed in suits and full of bucks and sweet-talking, and the Opposition leader is considered less charismatic compared to the highly-trained caretaker Prime Minister. The vocabulary about men in politics is grotesque, revealing much to be desired. The debate is about who has the ultimate manliness out there to lead and control. I am sure that the PL consultant Frank Luntz has picked on this variable in his research on what makes a Maltese.

The discourse on the female counterparts is equallyvivid. Amidst all this incompetentand untrustworthy masculinity, two women have stood their ground and raised their voices. History repeats itself. In times when men deny a hard truth rather than facing it, women emerge. No matter your stance and emotions in relation to them,the two women in question areMarlene Farrugia and Daphne Caruana Galizia.But history repeats itself as well through the language people use. When women take a stand,the reactions from partisan followers is ugly: the witch of Bidnija, the whore that controls her partner, the spies,as well as other equally tackylabels. Such language onlyconfirms that this country has not even started questioning hyper-masculinity and itshorribledamageto society.

For those who have a critical mind, it is a fact that men, today, have failed in politics. Only the blind chauvinist cannot realise this.Society must reconsider the requirementsthat make a strong leader. One has to look beyond the persuasive methods used by the political parties. There is too much greed for power out there that it has become horrendous. The only option is that, for the sake of integrity and honesty, we must scrutinize politicians beyond the end of our noses. Ultimately, thiselection will change this country forever, in terms of not only economic growth and political integrity, but also the willingness to trust politicians and the lawful institutions.

Christopher Bezzina

Lija