Antagonistic measures have dominated Maltese politics. Despite being labelled a 'positive campaign' this year, the electoral campaign was not free from antagonism. The propagandistic and unceasing narrative of 'credibility' and 'track record' was rooted in antagonism: 'we are credible because THEY are not credible'; 'we have a track record because THEY do not have a track record'. This was reinforced by comparisons among ministers and shadow ministers, such as Clyde vs. Adrian, Alex vs. Robert, or Ian vs Beppe.
The problem with such antagonism is that it undermines your opponent's legitimacy and encourages the idea that one party should permanently govern the other. PN have also tried to be antagonistic towards third parties on multiple occasions, insisting that voting for a third party is a 'wasted' vote. This behaviour, predominantly by the two political parties, is a wake-up call for everyone who thinks differently, who believes that we deserve a new way of practising democracy and thus politics.
As we have commenced the fifteenth legislature, the people (including us youths) are looking forward to the way politics will unfold. Upon reflecting on the way politics have developed in Malta, the only way forward that I see for our democracy is an agonistic direction. Unlike antagonism, where the "us vs them" mentality is normalised, agonism treats opponents as equals under democratic conditions. It invites conflict and dissent, rather than censoring it; it ensures free and independent media; it is inclusive of every party or voice, and ultimately, it pushes forward civic education - an avenue that is under-tapped.
Positively, after conceiving their loss, some PN exponents showed signs of agonism. On a local TV programme, MP Darren Carrabott invited the government to collaborate with the opposition, make use of PN's proposals for the benefit of the country, and debate ideas instead of people. Although he did not dismiss conflict, which is unavoidable in agonistic terms, he showed that the other side (the government) is not an enemy to destroy, but an equal opponent worthy of opposing. This is an important step forward. Alas, such agonism must be extended to every person or form of opposition. For instance, PL and PN said nothing on the issue of whether third-party candidates who did well in elections (like Sandra Gauci) deserve to be elected, instead of lower-performing candidates. It seems that no major party is willing to break the duopoly, despite having around 20% of the electorate not voting for them. In contrast, agonism (and goodwill) would ensure that democracy is a level playing field for every aspiring candidate who wants the best for their country.
However, politics is not only there for politicians. Our civic duty extends to different forms of being political, whether through petitioning, protesting, drafting papers, citizen assemblies, forming resident associations, or grassroots activism. Over the last decade, Malta has seen a rise of such practices, practices which have agonistic tendencies. Fortunately, this has served as a means of accountability, keeping in check our politicians' manoeuvres. This has shown political parties that people are not afraid of turning political - of being 'politicians' themselves.
Moreover, to lessen antagonism, ethics and good governance ought to finally be a priority. As an ethics teacher, I am genuinely concerned with our country's moral compass. Without sounding patronising, I do think that we are losing basic values in society. We are embracing a Machiavellian culture, where responsibility and accountability are disregarded, and where ethics are diluted and elastic. This is seen in different ways. Politicians and government officials frequently breach ethics and codes of conduct, corrupted practices get waived or endorsed, the rule of law is becoming relative, the power of incumbency is exploited, and the list continues. Therefore, to end this vicious cycle (or at least to lessen it), more agonistic measures need to be introduced. More goodwill needs to be restored in parliament, to say the least.
As mentioned, more people are thankfully participating in democracy and seeing hope in politics. This includes youths, which remains one of the underrated cohorts in our society, and I would like to include a personal example here. A few weeks ago, I founded Żgħażagħ għall-Bidla, an independent youth group that has a passion for activism and social change. This was inspired by my experiences in school. Regularly, secondary students were making it a point that their voices do not matter in society; that they are (and will remain) unheard.
Be it on education matters, quality of life or the environment, the students had a lot to say, and a lot to give. After receiving assistance from the students themselves, we held our first meeting on 8 April, where we discussed the education system. We have currently managed to reach more than 50 youths from all over Malta. Also, agonism is experienced throughout our meetings. From debates and small group conversations to writing policy reports, this group is one way in which agonistic practices can bring people together.
Ultimately, we all have a choice to make. If we progress in antagonism, we will lead ourselves to the far-right, as we have seen historically happening in turbulent times. Alternatively, we can move towards agonism, creating possibilities of dialogue, good governance, and a different way of how Maltese politics is done.
Both for Malta and for everyone's sake.
Luke Fenech
Educator and Activist