Monday 30 January 2012

The true national interest

The national interest is currently the most used, and abused term in national politics.

Labour says that its own interest would be better served by allowing time for the PN to implode but the national interest would be better served by demanding that Gonzi acknowledges that he has lost his majority in parliament,  that this is causing damaging instability which freezes the economy and scares away investment, and that the best solution in the circumstance is to settle the issue through urgent fresh general elections.

The PN says that the national interest is better served if an injured government continues to limp on hoping that the injury might heal through some patched up deal with the rebel MP who has withdrawn his support and that the country cannot face the instability of fresh general elections.

Personally I stand somewhere in the middle.   Government must be given some time to try to mend its differences with its rebel MP.    The tactic of seeking reconfirmation of Gonzi as  PN leader is nothing but a time gaining excuse.   The undoubted re-confirmation of Gonzi will not of itself move us one millimetre closer to finding a real solution to PN's problem in parliament.   Dr Franco Debono has said time and time again that he has no confidence in Dr Gonzi and that he has resigned from the PN.   I just don't see how a reconfirmation of Gonzi as the unchallenged PN leader will be any solution for the Debono issue.

However this must not prolong unduly.    There is an important money bill in Parliament and on this Franco Debono's abstention cannot be resolved by the Speaker's vote.   This must be settled during February so that if we have to go fresh elections we do so in May latest June.

The instability caused by a general election is no excuse for staying in power without a majority in parliament.   Such instability would only be brought forward from next year when an election has to be held in any event.   If PN continues to limp on in government unstably then the instability will be stretched from a mere 5 weeks to several months.

Gonzi should not hide under his re-election within the PN to avoid doing what is really in the national interest.

1 comment:

  1. There no national interest for Dr.Gonzi there only own pride but this will continue to lead more instabiliy bescause if Dr Franco Debono sticks with his words about Dr.Gonzi leadership
    as you had state in your artlic there will no solution for Debono that's I say this is only unfair sitation for Malta as Dr.Gonzi only consider his own pride and not the national interest as he did Dr.Sant way back 1998

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