Going to the dogs

Oh dear, two consecutive posts about the Maltese Partit Laburista. This blog is really going to the dogs. I promise I won't do it again. But I had second thoughts about yesterday's comments, which were admittedly a bit too dismissive, so today I will mention some positive points, as seen from this runner's viewpoint.

1. Changing the name of the party is a step in the right direction. The MLP label and the banner that goes with it, and all that they stand for, appeal to the party's 47% core support, and no more than that. Worse, they bring back too many bad memories for the majority of the Maltese people to actually vote for anyone represented by that banner.

2. They will finally be sporting a name in the Maltese language. Still an ugly name, but at least it's not a national party with a foreign name.

3. They're doing away with the children's political indoctrination club, the Brigata Laburista, which is so reminiscent of North Korea. Actually, I was surprised that this aberration still exists in this 21st century. I thought it had already been disbanded, but I must have been wrong. So - another step in the right direction, and none too soon.

4. The Bord tad-Dixxiplina u Vigilanza (rendered immortal to the national psyche by a picture of three old men in sandals and shorts, one of them sporting a long beard) is also being disbanded. This Soviet style organisation, which reminds me a bit of the Broadcasting Authority, every so often decides to censure any party member that expresses him or herself in a manner not in line with party diktat. Good riddance.

So, the new PL intends to rebrand and rid itself of some dead wood. Good for it. But it's only a first step. They still have a long way to go if they wish to become attractive to those who can't stand the MLP. The next, crucial, step will be to come up with some interesting, valid, alternative policies. Malta is desperately in need of a credible alternative government, just in case the ones in charge lose track of things. It doesn't need two Christian Democratic parties - if the new PL intends to be a carbon copy of the PN, there would be no point in bothering to vote. What we want to know, in concrete terms, from the PL is this: what do they stand for? What are they proposing to do? How are they proposing to do it? Only then, when they are offering something substantial for us to consider, can we take them seriously.

Incidentally, the Partit Nazzjonalista should have long ago changed their name, which in political circles the world over is normally associated with separatist movements or the extreme right. I wonder how they don't feel embarrassed to introduce themselves as nationalists to mainstream political colleagues at the international level. It's not only embarrassing, but it's also a misnomer, because they are NOT nationalists at all. They are Christian Democrats. So - Partit Demokratiku Kristjan. It would win them yet another two general elections...