Local council candidate contesting on the PN’s ticket in Attard, Nicole Portelli, said that politics has become “irrelevant” to youths, and the way politicians or young people in politics send their message needs to change.

Portelli, a 22-year-old student, will be contesting in Attard for the upcoming Local Council and MEP elections in June, currently holding the position of secretary general of Moviment Żgħażagħ Partit Nazzjonalista (MŻPN) – the youth wing of the Nationalist Party.

“There’s this million-dollar question; ‘why do youths want to leave?’ They obviously want to leave if they feel there are no opportunities for them in Malta," Portelli told The Malta Independent on Sunday in an interview.

She said that there are things youths consider to go far in life, and unfortunately, right now, Malta is "not that attractive to youths, and politics is part of it, which becomes irrelevant to them”.

Portelli was replying to a question asking if there’s the need for certain changes to the country’s politics to attract more youth towards it.

"The way we send our message needs to change," Portelli said, explaining that there are three groups among youths; those who participate in politics at a partisan level, those who follow current affairs and contribute outside of a party and those who do not seem to be interested and do not get themselves involved.

Portelli said that if politics has indeed become irrelevant to youths, there's a question of how it can be made relevant again.

"Many tell me that in their time, they did things differently. But we need to keep with the times, and they are different now," Portelli said. She proposed that there could be a possible change in the strategy of what the parties could offer, as well as more house visits to speak to youths.

She said that there's the reality that many youths do not see a future or opportunities for them in Malta, and that many Maltese who have moved abroad do not want to return. Other factors affecting youths are also the environment, education and equality in Malta.

"We have to encourage them to contribute to their future," Portelli said.

 

Lack of knowledge on politics among youths

Is the Nationalist Party doing enough to attract youths into politics? Portelli was asked. She said that there are several youths on the PN’s ticket who will be contesting in the Local Council elections this June.

Portelli added that it could be because some of them had been interested or involved in politics from a young age or are interested in doing something to make a difference.

"We need to teach them from a young age, that they can use their vote and voice. At school, during Systems of Knowledge lessons, youths could be learning more about Maltese politics of today and in recent history, in addition to how democracy was founded, for example," Portelli said, acknowledging that there's a lack of knowledge among the youth population.

"It is not a matter of if the PN is doing enough, but it is a matter of us, as youths who are already in politics, meeting different youths and cohorts from different areas and walks of life all around Malta and Gozo, and speak and listen to them," Portelli said.

Portelli was asked if she believed that the PN will be able to take back the local councils it lost to the Labour Party in the last Local Council elections in 2019.

"I know that the PN has been working tirelessly for a long time, on the local councils which were unfortunately lost in the last election. Door-to-door visits, calls and contact has proven to work, because people are realising the wrongs in their locality, for example," Portelli said.

She said that the people realise that a change is needed. "We, as the PN, must go out and speak to people and encourage them to vote for a change, to vote for PN."

 

‘Meeting residents opened my eyes to certain concerns in the locality’

Portelli’s three main priorities if she is elected to the Attard Local Council are the environment, the residents' well-being with constant contact and the community, explaining that she wants to bring the community closer together.

Portelli said that initially, she did not plan on contesting, as she felt that it was not on the table for her due to other commitments, as well as a fear of a lack of support.

She changed her mind after people encouraged her, and said that she was glad to have taken the decision to contest, as she received unwavering support as a local council candidate for the very first time. She said people have told her they were impressed and encouraged and supported her.

"When I said the big 'yes' to go for it, I started meeting with people, doing house visits," Portelli said, sometimes joining an MEP or another candidate, and other times going alone.

Portelli said that in these house visits, she has met with people who express their problems to her, such as issue of parking, ongoing works and certain things which, unfortunately, the Local Council cannot do much about.

"The reason being is that unfortunately, this government has taken a lot of the Local Council's powers, and authority," Portelli said.

She said that under a Nationalist government, the local councils were introduced to help and be a main point of reference of the residents to report their concerns, regardless of which colour they support.

Portelli remarked that the authority has been stripped away, noting that despite the diligent efforts of the Attard Local Council to enhance the quality of life for citizens, they frequently encounter limitations.

 

Local Councils need their own authority and power, to act immediately on residents’ needs

The Nationalist Party had repeatedly said that the local councils have been reduced to "customer care". On the other hand, in an interview with The Malta Independent, PL MEP candidate Marija Sara Vella Gafà had said that the local councils have greatly benefited from the Regional and Central governments, a view which is not shared by the PN.

Asked on her thoughts, Portelli said that "really and truly, when there is an issue, local councils have to wait a long time, months for say, issuing a permit, objections". She said that the local councils should not be reduced to customer care.

"I don't think that local councils should just be part of the regional councils, they have their own importance, and they should have their own authority and power, to act immediately on the residents' needs," Portelli said.

Currently, for the local council to be able to do certain things in the locality, such as installing signs and sleeping policemen, replacing bulbs, and so on, they would have to go to a government authority, which then takes weeks to implement.

Asked if she agreed with a bill passed in Parliament a few months ago, allowing 16- and 17-year-olds to become mayors, Portelli said that she does not particularly agree with 16-year-olds becoming mayors, but supports their eligibility as candidates for local councillors.

"After all, for 16-year-olds, including one from the PN contesting for the local council, to be able to make that step, is a sign that they are willing to go all the way, as well as potential and ability to go into such an election," Portelli said, encouraging those youths.

She explained, however, that she feels that 16-year-olds may not have enough experience to take split-second decisions and take on certain responsibilities mayors have to take for the locality, which will be affecting the residents.

"I do agree that they contest for the elections, because youths offer a different perspective, fresh views and opinions, and I also believe that there needs to be a mix between youths and the more experienced in politics, who can pass on the knowledge," Portelli said.