They say that you need to know where you come from to know where you’re going. This is the expression that immediately came to mind when I read that President Vella launched a survey on the state of the nation.

It was announced that the reason behind this initiative is to start a national conversation from people of different backgrounds to better understand their beliefs. Like with all proposals, there are those who agree and disagree. In this case, there were some who asked whether this was the right time to conduct such an exercise. With all that is going on in the country right now, is this really the best moment to ask ourselves what we think of the state of our nation? I believe that the answer is yes.

This pandemic has brought with it so many radical changes and has forced us to adapt to a new ‘normal’ that I think now is a better time than ever to re-assess and re-evaluate what we stand for as a nation. These past few months have compelled us to pause and reflect on a personal level, so why shouldn’t we do the same as a nation? Let’s face it. Since independence over fifty years ago, Malta has gone through profound and fundamental changes that are birthing new realities. It is now up to us to understand better where we stand and where we are to go from here.  

One of the most important achievements we gained as a nation is when we broke free from the shackles of the conservative mentality that held us down for so many years. The first step was back in 2011 with the introduction of divorce, a milestone which was achieved after an effective campaign by the then Opposition and civil society. However, we really broke down the wall in 2014 when Malta legalised same-sex marriage. It’s been seven years since that historical moment and we’ve never looked back since. Today we live in a more equal society, one which does not discriminate against you based on who you love. We should never take these achievements for granted. It took us a long time to get here and we should never allow anyone to take us back to the days when love between a man and a woman was the only acceptable norm. That is why it is crucial that this national survey is based on liberal thinking and hard facts, not scaremongering. 

Another vital issue which I think must be taken into consideration is the state of our politics. As a young woman who is contesting the next general election, I hope to be part of a generation of politicians which places national interest ahead of partisanship. As a country, we are very competitive. Whether it is on football, feasts or politics, we as Maltese love to pick a side and stick to it till kingdom come. I am not saying that we should do away with our beloved rivalries, however, when it comes to the important issues, I wish we could sometimes set aside our differences and put up a united front. The pandemic is a perfect example. Let us not politicize this issue. It has affected us all and the only way we are going to get through it is by facing it as one nation.   

The events of the past few days have also shed a spotlight on our justice system. Our shared values include another essential principle, and that’s the rule of law – the promise that the law applies equally to everyone, that no person is above it, and that we all are entitled to its protection. The rule of law depends not only on things that are written down, but also on important traditions and norms, such as apolitical law enforcement. That’s why I applaud the Robert Abela administration for having implemented unprecedented reforms that have strengthened the country’s democratic institutions. The reality is that in a span of 18 months, this government has implemented more good governance reforms than previous administrations did in 25 years. I look forward to seeing how our justice system is discussed during this national survey and hope that we can all have a frank discussion about how we can improve it further.

So stand up. Speak out. Our country needs all of us to raise our voices in support of our democratic ideals and institutions. That is what we stand for. That is who we are. And with a shared commitment to our founding principles, that is who we will remain.