The ADPD merger has finally happened, following months of discussion, collaboration and laying of groundwork. ADŻ (Alternattiva Demokratika Żgħażagħ) has been looking forward to the merger because it believes that Third Party politics needs people to set aside petty differences. We have admired each other across arbitrary battle lines, drawn up in different times and different places. The time came to dissolve those differences, and rally behind one another's strengths. Our two parties have now come together, bound by principles.

I was first introduced to the political scene by Timothy Alden, the last leader of PD, after we came across one another in an online political discussion. Timothy believed in me and introduced me to ADŻ, even though he was from PD, and I was invited to become a co-chairperson with Rachelle Deguara. Timothy then made it his mission to do his part to finalize the merger. Timothy Alden is no longer able to continue actively in politics, contributing to other sectors instead, but the groundwork is now in place to move forward, bridging the past with a new present. It was the context of the merger which inspired me and has inspired many others that things can change.

With ADŻ's left-libertarian principles, we now wish to build a movement for Maltese youth to oppose current partisan society and set off a domino effect. Surely the merger of ADPD will set an example and therefore allow us to have a broader reach to all members of Maltese society. We have shown that it is possible to make the journey from Red and Blue to being Maltese or Gozitan beforehand, and a person whose dignity is to be respected first and foremost.

ADŻ, in a bid towards increasing its reach with our country's youth, will be hosting an online campaign to help spread our ideas. COVID-19 has been a bigger challenge to third parties, as with more limited resources, and no television or radio, we are left with the digital arena to maneuver. However, through that digital arena, we managed to hold the first ADPD annual general meeting, and also hosted a series of online discussions with the public over the past months.

Our purpose is to rally people behind new ideas and to educate. We believe in social justice, as we cannot possibly progress without equality, responsibility and sustainability. We want our youth to know that we represent a political party that believes in the well-being of all, with a strong welfare state that offers safeguards from the illusion of a trickle-down economic model. ADŻ is bold in its ambition to explore new economic concepts, at a time when old ways of thinking are being turned upside down by global environmental and economic challenges. We believe that the economy can be democratic in ways we have not considered before. It can be moved towards a model which takes the best from different worlds. It can be a green market economy inspired also by mutualist and market socialist principles, bound by a participative democracy. People should be able to live good lives if they work, and justice should apply equally to everyone, not only exist for the wealthy. These are the problems which we will actively speak about and propose solutions for in the upcoming online campaign.

ADŻ has embarked on a new road, and will develop a new identity together with ADPD, offering more than just an alternative. It is going to offer the country the obvious logical and ethical political choice at election time.

 

Giosue Agius is co-chairperson of ADŻ (Alternattiva Demokratika Żgħażagħ)