Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1188980
JAMES DEBONO JOSEPH Muscat's decision to resign from the premiership will re-ignite a dormant lead- ership race within Labour at a delicate time in the party's history, where its foundations have been shaken to the core by grave concerns on corrup- tion and subservience to big business interests which ulti- mately shook the party's foun- dations. Contenders will now have to turn on the engines for a short campaign, possibly coincid- ing with the Christmas period, while dealing with the toxic af- termath of the Daphne Carua- na Galizia assassination probe, and lingering doubts on Keith Schembri's intimate links with Tumas magnate Yorgen Fene- ch. The election will also be the first time that Labour party delegates will be asked to se- lect the two frontrunners from the wider field, that will ulti- mately be voted on by all the party members. The contest originally set in motion by Muscat's com- mitment to resign before the next general election was put on hold in September, after Muscat reportedly intervened to tell Deputy prime minister Chris Fearne, Infrastructure Minister Ian Borg, and Tour- ism Minister Konrad Mizzi to tone down their campaigning after they scaled up their per- sonal campaigns over the sum- mer months. One very likely consequence of this is that Konrad Miz- zi – who has just resigned from minister and carries the baggage of the Panamagate scandal which now involves Yorgen Fenech – will not be contesting. For Fearne, it will be an op- portunity to rout out his fourth district 'rival'. From the Cabinet this would leave health minister and dep- uty PM Fearne and Ian Borg, whose super-ministry runs transport, roads, and planning, as the probable contestants. Fearne, a paediatric surgeon by profession, will probably position himself as an expe- rienced leader best suited to clean the party's Augean sta- bles and return the party to its social democratic roots. He has already built support among party delegates with the help of an organised team, and as a senior minister he can count on the majority of the Cabinet's support to take the helm. But questions have been raised on his charisma, especially after his wooden performance on 1 May, which failed to match the rhe- torical brilliance of Muscat. In the current circumstances for the 33-year old Ian Borg, age may stand as a liability. He may project himself as a doer, riding high on infra- structural projects, but his planning portfolio has exposed him to controversy. Although so far non- committal, Labour MEP Miriam Dalli starts from a position of strength having re- ceived over 63,000 votes in the European elec- tions. She also has the advantage of not having ever voted in par- liament to keep Schembri and Mizzi in government – unlike the other Cabinet members – and her green credentials were boosted by her role in piloting European legislation to cut down on carbon emissions in the transport industry. But she still has to prove her- self as a "safe pair of hands" in turbulent times. This is a poisoned chalice that the next prime minister will have to take. The race could still attract other candidates who may see an opportunity in the current hubris. A survey conducted by Mal- taToday in March 2018 had revealed Labour MP Robert Abela – the son of former President George Abela – as a front-runner among Labour voters, closely followed by Dalli and Fearne. Yet at that point in time many Labour vot- ers were still non-com- mittal or convinced that Muscat would change his mind and stay on. Time will also work against Abela who may lack the machine already set in motion by other candidates. 6 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 1 DECEMBER 2019 NEWS The Skinny No 12. The Media in Times of Crisis What are we skinning? The local media… or rather, local media in times of crisis. Wait, didn't we do a shameful hagiography of this very paper just last week? No, this time it's different. This time, it's NOT personal. How do you mean? I repeat: what ARE we skinning? Well, given recent – and, in many ways, still-developing – events on a local sphere, we felt it would be apt to consider the many ways in which the media influences, eases and exacerbates public opinion and debate. That sounds like a bona fide contradiction right there. How can something ease and exacerbate in equal measure? Therein lies the rub. The events we're experiencing right now unsurprisingly ignite a powder keg of emotions and allegations which put plenty of pressure on the media landscape... Pfft. 'Pressure'. Cry me a river. The media also has a responsibility not to fan the flames of hatred and speculation... Yes, certainly. But people also turn to it for answers, and solace. Solace? Yes. Newspaper editorials can serve as a temporary 'dam' in an ongoing stream of rolling news and social media hysteria. Okay, fair enough. But do you believe the Maltese scenario is mature enough to rise above the pettiness that characterises a lot of this? Whatever the case, we have to try. We need to do good. No, we need to do better. For the sake of our citizens, and our comrades. For those who are still with us, and those tragically felled. Do say: "The demands we place on the backs of our journalists and media houses should be equal in moral heft and ethical expectation to what we aim to expect from politicians and other public officials. Only in this way will the general public be able to walk in tandem with the media and effect meaningful change" Don't say: "This week of rolling news has been hysterically entertaining. More, please!" Malta, shrunk down Muscat's end paves way for leadership race in turbulent times New dawn, or poisoned chalice? From left: Chris Fearne, Miriam Dalli, Robert Abela, and Ian Borg "I guess this means I can put any of my ambitions to rest..."