Rumours of an early election are doing the rounds and everyone and their uncle are once again throwing dates around like it's no body's business! May, June, are all being mentioned as possible candidates for the next election.

But, while politics in Malta is sometimes seen as a spectator sport, and some of us genuinely revel in this sort of thing, we cannot say that this is a healthy state for the country to be in. In fact, the guessing game is creating a climate of uncertainty that is beginning to weigh on business confidence, and everyone's lives in general.

There is, at the time of writing, no official confirmation that Malta is heading to the polls ahead of schedule. Yet, taken together, a series of signals are pointing in the undeniable direction that the wheels at PL HQ are heavily in motion.

To start with, the Labour Party's convening of a national congress under the slogan "Malta Aqwa" is being interpreted as more than just a political congress. You needn't be a political mastermind to understand that the event is being organised with electoral considerations in mind, making it perhaps the clearest indication so far that the Prime Minister is actively preparing the battle ground.

At the same time, the Prime Minister's own messaging has been very carefully measured. While he ruled out an early election earlier this year, he has deliberately introduced a degree of ambiguity, suggesting that geopolitical developments could influence the timing. This phrasing puts him in a perfect position to keep his options open.

Yet the country doesn't need this ambiguity and uncertainty. The country doesn't need these games. What the country needs is clarity for our families, and our businesses.

The geopolitical backdrop that is unfolding around us, is unpredictable enough, and our businesses are already having to contend with disrupted supply lines, climbing transport costs, and wildly shifting scenarios. Having a Prime Minister intent on playing games doesn't help.

It is understandable that the Prime Minister is feeling a sense of urgency. The Nationalist Party's and Alex Borg's inroads with the electorate cannot be ignored any longer. The Prime Minister's cool facade may be hiding a certain panic to rush to the polls, before the tide shifts irrevocably.

The Opposition, for its part, is ready to snap into action, no matter when the whistle is blown. The Nationalist Parliamentary Group has been acting as a government in waiting for the past four years, proposing solid policy, even leading the agenda on important issues that effect the lives of our families.

The party has what it takes to offer a real and serious alternative to the current administration, and it is well geared to show that it is ready to serve the country, whenever it will be called to.

The Prime Minister must stop playing the strategy game, at the expense of our families, our businesses, and the country at large. He must keep the national interest in mind and be clear about his intentions. The country deserves as much.