Today I was not in the mood to write about the EU or economics. However, the topic I am treating relates to institutional power and reforms. My husband and I have spent most of our adult lives serving the party we both love. Well him more than me. We were part of the movement that, together with thousands of loyal supporters, broke a 25-year Nationalist Party monopoly in government. Certainly, we know how the system functions internally within the Labour Party. This comes not from speculation, but from years of personal commitment, experience and sacrifice. And it is from this perspective that I write, with loyalty, not to individuals or factions, but to the ideals that in the past gave meaning to our political work. Equally, the Labour Party in government must keep serving the Maltese people by pushing further for social justice.
To understand the realities we face today, one must appreciate what the Labour Party achieved over the last decade. It didn’t merely win elections. The Labour Party introduced a political, economic, and social shift that reconnected politics with people’s everyday lives. Perhaps the most profound change was the advancement of civil rights, the restoration of dignity and respect for human beings, and a determined effort to create jobs, which included, inter alia, the introduction of free childcare centres that transformed opportunities for working families. That success came from policy, courage and unity. But most of all, it came from a commitment to implementing the Malta Tagħna Lkoll vision, followed by two additional electoral successes, with Malta Flimkien being the foundations of the current legislature, encompassing a manifesto of over 1,000 proposals aimed at holistic national reform.
However, somewhere along the way, the Labour Party began trampling on its own legacy and success. Instead of reinforcing what we built, we saw a shift toward short-termism and a growing detachment from the grassroots, with some individuals isolating those in power. Indeed, that is why we need strong politicians. We cannot have weak decision makers. Ironically, some candidates are no longer selected based on competence but simply to fill vacancies. This is not just disappointing but risky. Politics requires strong leadership in cabinet and in Parliament. That is why the Labour Party needs strong candidates on its list. Surely, we do not need puppets or individuals merely aroused by the thrill of power, as we clearly see on the opposite benches. We already face structural imbalances with gender quotas, let alone if we also miss out on strong talent.
When Dr Robert Abela took leadership of the Labour Party and of the country, we needed time to understand his decisions. Prime Minister Abela must be commended for his pragmatic and steady leadership in the worst times of contemporary history. Under his guidance, Malta has regained international credibility. Nobody can deny this. Dr Abela managed to secure a presidency and a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council, the OSCE presidency, and renewed multilateral presence. Malta is being recognised for the right reasons. His leadership style, measured by inclusiveness, and diplomatically engagements, deserves respect. I never thought he would be a leader and a prime minister who truly listens. And he understands the value of cooperation and international engagement. Yet, leadership does not happen in a vacuum, and it requires a capable, honest and merit-based team.
Alas, not all current decision makers meet the prime minister’s standard. Some have failed their constituents, their supporters, and the party’s values. I witnessed this during the European Parliament elections. People tell you, bluntly, that some candidates must not be re-elected. Indeed, it is a matter of accountability and not reprisal. People are voicing their discontent not with Labour’s ideals, but with how those ideals are being implemented by certain representatives. And let’s be honest, the prime minister alone cannot do everything. Some of those now enjoying the highest levels of power are only there thanks to the efforts of former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and the sitting prime minister. Denouncing it is just spineless.
Let us not forget that it was Muscat’s electoral strength and strategic leadership that gave some of the sitting ministers their first opportunity and the Labour Party to retain its winning formula. The attempt to erase or downplay his contribution is politically dishonest and ungrateful. And I witnessed this kind of behaviour not from just anyone, but from those who had been around him for over two decades! Surely, we need to respect those who helped shape our success and not sideline them. More importantly, we need to implement the Malta Flimkien manifesto in full. And this must not be done merely symbolically. Every proposal was a promise made to the people. Loyalty to the electorate demands that we follow through. The Labour Party is not a vehicle for career progression but a platform for delivering results for the country.
We must listen to the people always and not just when elections are looming. Supporters are not tokens to be used when needed. And labour supporters are the lifeblood of our movement. Many individuals worked tirelessly in the shadows, not for favours, but out of belief in a cause. For some in power to treat them as disposable is not just wrong, but it is a betrayal of our mission. Those appointing people to technocratic positions must remember that they are serving the country and its citizens, and not themselves.
I believe the Labour Party understood the lesson of last June and has begun political renewal from within. This was not done through trendy rebranding or token appointments, but through competence, vision and inclusion. Both the Deputy Prime Minister and the Deputy Leader for Party Affairs have helped bring the party back to its core principles. Some of the newly-elected members of the administration have brought forward fresh ideas. But we must now elevate the silent workers. More importantly, we must elevate the competent, the loyal and the visionary. Some of the disconnected were removed last year. However, we also need to remove the opportunists. We must certainly avoid those who view politics as a form of personal entertainment. We have a duty to govern with integrity, to strengthen our institutions, and to ensure that those in power are there to serve, and not to settle old scores or secure perks. Let’s respect the people who made this movement what it is and ensure that trust is restored by implementing our electoral mandate in full.
And let us prepare a strong, capable line-up of candidates who can lead and not just fill seats in Parliament. Because the future of the Labour Party depends not only on how well we perform in government, but on how seriously we take the responsibility of representing our people with integrity, humility and competence. Loyalty means standing firm when it’s inconvenient. It means holding your own party accountable when necessary. And it means ensuring that politics remains about service and not self-interest. That is the kind of loyalty that will carry us forward. Everything else is just pointless.
