Much is said, particularly come election time, about the power of incumbency and how it is used by the governing party to support their electoral campaigns.

This year’s electoral campaign is no different.

The past week has seen significant discussion on this matter on more than one occasion. 

The first and foremost of these was the timing of the government’s €70 million measure to send two sets of cheques – tax rebates, and a cheque to make up for the rise in the cost of living – to all workers (and therefore, most voters).

These cheques were announced over a month ago, but only started to arrive in people’s mailboxes at the beginning of this week – only days before the election.

The government has insisted that they are merely helping the people through grants which couldn’t be delayed, but the timing is, at best, convenient and, really and truly, whichever way you shake it, it’s the PL trying to use its power of incumbency to remind voters who to vote for by giving them cold, hard cash.

But there has been more of that.  The number of phone calls being made by the offices of ministers to voters asking them the fabled “do you need anything?” question has intensified as voting day draws nearer.

One particular occasion was even shared to Facebook, with a screenshot showing a man share in a Labour Party supporters group how he had spoken to the authorities to get an expedited medical operation for his “Labourite brother.”

The post was made in a group called ‘Election 2022 Will Vote Labour’ and was shared to Facebook by PN candidate Mark Anthony Sammut. 

The screenshot shows someone sharing a screenshot, saying that he had done “nothing special”, and that he had simply “spoken to the person concern and we assisted him.”

“He was very hurt and angry.  When I see someone of my Labourite brothers in need I cannot remain quiet. Let’s keep working friends, and we’ll manage,” the person wrote.

The person posted a screenshot of a Facebook chat which he was involved in, wherein another person messages saying: “I cannot believe it.  They phoned this morning, and I will have the operation next week.  Thank you so much.  I don’t have enough words to thank you.”

Prime Minister Robert Abela later condemned the giving out of such favours – as if he would have done anything else – but did not say that an investigation would be launched into how someone had been able to skip the queue for a medical intervention. 

That in itself means that someone else – perhaps because he wasn’t one of those ‘Labourite brothers’ – has to wait even longer for their own medical procedure.  It’s a pity to see even people’s health get politicised.

The practice is of course illegal as well: one wonders whether the police has taken an initiative to investigate what is effectively voter corruption following the publication of this story.

This is not a one-off incident: PL MP Oliver Scicluna two months ago took to Facebook to express his anger and offence at people offering him their vote in exchange for favours, saying that this is a practice and mentality which needs to stop.

His post drew a lot of positive reactions, including from Labour Party deputy leader Daniel Micallef, who said that this is why there is the need for a change in the electoral system.

“To change culture, we need to change the system.  It’s important to not let the system change you,” he said.

It’s unfortunate that the party which Micallef has a leading role in has failed to take heed of this advice.