Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1200489
6 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 15 JANUARY 2020 NEWS Carpe diem or blissful honeymoon? Robert Abela LABOUR MP Robert Abela did not only simply win a contest. He did so convinc- ingly and beyond the wildest expectation despite long being perceived as an under- dog. That explains why his election also triggered a wave of emotions among his supporters already fired up by the chore- ographed departure of his predecessor. But understanding how he achieved his aim is crucial before assessing his poten- tial as Prime Minister. Robert Abela won because he followed a script in which he played the role of an insurgent pitted against a detached min- ister backed by the party's establishment, while still promising continuity with his predecessor. First, he lashed out at the "diabolical pact" which would have seen Labour's es- tablishment uniting behind Chris Fearne as Muscat's automatic successor in a mo- ment of deep crisis, with Abela and Ian Borg being appointed deputy leaders in a bid to ensure unity. This created an impression that by turn- ing down the offer he was standing his ground against the party establishment. But rather than rebelling against Mus- cat in what would have been the logical conclusion of an anti-establishment in- surgency, Abela did the very opposite. He embarked on a campaign aimed di- rectly at the party's grassroots, promising continuity with the Muscat years, giving the impression that he was still Joseph's man. In this way he could run a campaign, which promised continuity in the hands of an affable and charismatic bloke who could be trusted by the rank and file. Abela could in this way portray himself as being both an insurgent and a guaran- tee of continuity, a contradiction which marked his campaign from beginning to end, leaving space for ambiguity to appeal to two different categories party of mem- bers: those who resented Keith Schembri and had some misgivings on Muscat, and those who supported Muscat uncondi- tionally. Moreover as George Abela's son, he could run a continuity campaign without being seen as Muscat's stooge. Abela, ap- pointed President by Lawrence Gonzi in 2009, was himself a divisive figure in the Labour movement. He not only fell out with Alfred Sant in 1998 during the clash with Dom Mintoff, but stood against Muscat in 2008, presenting himself as the candidate who best represented the rup- ture with the Sant era while advocating a socially conservative stance on issues like divorce. Finally in the last stage of the campaign, Abela capitalised on Fearne's perceived entitlement for the succession, which confirmed his position of underdog. He also benefitted from Fearne's blunders, including the latter's lame attempt to galvanise the core vote through divisive jibes. Abela only flopped once in the cam- paign, showing poor understanding of basic norms of good governance when stating that he found nothing wrong with his family-owned firm bidding for government contracts if he became PM. Abela was forced to retract and realise his mistake, but it is doubtful whether this episode had any impact his populari- ty among party members, a constituency which remained loyal to Muscat despite constant criticism on his good govern- ance credentials. Chronicles of a doomed campaign Fearne's campaign followed a complete- ly different playbook, first securing the support of the party's establishment in a moment of deep crisis in an attempt to restore a semblance of normality to the country in an attempt to secure a sole unifying candidature. Fearne stood out as the sober politician who could restore the country's reputa- tion through a clinical intervention. In itself, Fearne's bid was shaped by a real- Robert Abela pandered to a constituency which loved and adored Joseph Muscat but presented himself as an outsider with the interests of the common folk at heart. Will seize the day using his strong mandate to ensure justice is done without fear or favour, or will he prolong his honeymoon basking in the adulation of his followers?