While their country has been hosting a substantial number of residents coming from different cultures - European and from other continents - many Maltese people still profess the views and prejudices of a small isolated community. They consider what is foreign as some kind of threat, especially if originating from outside Europe.
However this is hardly the first time that on Maltese territory the population that was born and bred here lived alongside a sizable foreign community. Under the Knights of St John, with "us" there lived knights, soldiers, adventurers, merchants and slaves coming from all the corners of Europe and the Mediterranean. Under the British, big contingents of soldiers and sailors were regularly posted for long stays to Malta.
It is also the case that right through, there were always influencers organised to incite and scare Maltese people against the foreigners living in their "midst" in order to keep them at a distance from the outsiders. The Catholic Church was at the forefront of this effort but was by no means the only player. It does seem as if the echoes of past cries and whispers against the "Turks", "Protestants", "Freemasons" and "Commies" (among others) still resonate.
***
HUNTING FOR VOTES
Inevitably, in any democratic election, the hunt for votes and more votes by the parties in competition will continue to hot up as the campaign proceeds. Party representatives will be devising whole new strategies to secure votes - and if they are themselves candidates, to ensure that votes cast will also be for them personally.
On the other hand, how do voters sum up their voting intentions? Over the years, I have heard the following explanations: ... I have always voted for "the party", since I was conceived, and so has the rest of the family... Once I found myself being convinced by what candidate H was saying and have always voted for him since... It's only "this party" which has always been there to protect us... From one election to another, I take a look to see which party I like best... I'll vote for X, in the whole bunch only he/she is really sexy... I start from the top of "the party" list and go down it to the end.
Other explanations of vote were supplied.
***
MAY ELECTIONS
Another island-nation in the Mediterranean is also this month running an election campaign - Cyprus, where the vote is being held six days before Malta's. Some 561,000 voters in all are on the rolls. Indeed, the political scenario there offers quite an interesting contrast to Malta's.
The big traditional parties have found themselves under siege by smaller parties, some of them labelled as "extremist". Political fragmentation has spread across the board, from left to right. Among the major issues listed as of concern to people, one finds living conditions, economic uncertainties in everyday life, corruption and the abuse of pwer, as well as a disillusionment with traditional politics. Political apathy could lead to many citizens, especially the young, not voting at all.
Still a record number of people are standing as election candidates: 753. In the last elections, they numbered 651. Nineteen political parties and associations will be competing with each other plus nine independent candidates.There were fifteen political parties in competition duirng the last election. This does make a stark contrast with the political situation in Malta.
Still, like Malta in 2017, elections are being held while Cyprus is operatiing as the presidency of the EU. Meanwhile, economic uncertainties fuelled mostly by the Iran war are piling up. During the last month, tourist arrivals in Cyprus dropped by 16 per cent.