Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1481540
9 NEWS maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 12 OCTOBER 2022 Fatigue and the post pandemic rebound One major factor contribut- ing to the surge in disenchant- ment may well be the collective switching off from politics re- inforced by the post pandemic summer rebound which saw young people fully enjoying the summer after a two-year disrup- tion. This may suggest that the dis- enchantment with politics has more to do with electoral fa- tigue than with any profound aspiration for a different politi- cal system. But it is also possi- ble that the return to 'normality' after the pandemic has also re- inforced concerns on the envi- ronment, traffic and over-pop- ulation. And while the pandemic did interrupt the progress of an an- ti-corruption movement galva- nised by protests which led to the resignation of Joseph Mus- cat, one should not underesti- mate the impact of these events on the political formation of younger voters who have wit- nessed one scandal after anoth- er gnawing at the foundations of Malta's democracy. Moreover, civic activism by groups like Graffitti and Repub- blika may have also solidified the perception that the PN and the PL are not the alpha and omega of political life. Toxic conservatism But the dismal results of the PN and Grech in the younger bracket may also indicate that the PN is completely discon- nected from an age group which came of age after the water shed divorce referendum. One reason could be ideologi- cal. The party may still be seen as an ultra-conservative force among a segment of more so- cially liberal-minded younger people who are also the most likely to agree with the decrimi- nalisation of abortion. Yet, one should also be wary of generalisations based on 'ideal types' found in text book cate- gorisations. For a more secular outlook among young people also co-exists with widespread anti-immigration sentiments and while young voters are more environmentally conscious, they are also influenced by consum- erism and some of them may be actually benefit from networks of patronage which they inher- ited from parents. But another reason for the PN's disconnection from the young is that the party's brand is consid- ered toxic by these voters. Still ridden by factional divisions, the party fails to capture the imagi- nation of young people. Moreover, the generational renewal of the PN's front bench in the past election has still not resonated among younger vot- ers. One major obstacle is that vot- ers judge parties according to their leaders and Grech's dismal 7% trust rating among young voters suggests that his decision to stay on after a major election defeat has obscured the only major success he had; that of electing new younger MPs. But the PN's problems may well go beyond the leadership crisis. The PN may well have lost its historic ability to coa- lesce a united opposition span- ning across the generational and ideological spectrum in a struggle between two 'big tent' parties. By moving towards the political centre and in some cas- es to the right while retaining a liberal edge on civil liberties, La- bour has simply replicated the PN's success in the 1990s while retaining its own traditional core vote. This absence of pluralism and diversity may well be an under- lying reason for the disenchant- ment of younger voters who may be looking for greener pastures. Will third parties fill the gaps? But where does this leave third parties? The survey clearly shows that not voting remains the preferred option of younger voters who have lost trust in the political establishment. But in the same way as blas- phemy is more prevalent in Catholic societies, not voting it- self confirms the strength of the duopoly which limits the choice to one between blue, red and nothing else. But the survey sug- gests that the Greens are mak- ing some inroads among young and educated voters. Possibly they may be filling the vacuum among a limited but growing number of socially liberal, an- ti-corruption and environmen- tally conscious voters. But there may well be other niches lacking representation including pro-business liberals and even the far right. It may well be that younger voters are transitioning to a more pluralis- tic continental political system and are finding it harder to rec- ognise themselves in two parties whose identity is shaped by trib- al loyalty and rarely by ideology and values. In this survey more than one tenth of young people choose a third party but this trend has to be confirmed in future surveys. However, this state of flux is reinforced by another survey published on Illum showing a majority of younger and edu- cated voters agreeing that Malta needs a third party. Ultimately it is third parties who have to earn the trust of younger voters and to get there, they have to achieve results within the limits of the current (unfair) electoral system. Only a strong result by third parties will expose the faults of the present electoral system. MEP elections in 2024 in which voters will have the liberty to vote without any concern on who will be governing the coun- try, will be a test which third parties cannot afford to fail. on the cusp of change? Don't trust any of the two leaders Trust Grech Trust Abela Will not vote Undecided PN PL Will vote ADPD Will vote for an otherthird party 35.4 35.8 34.7 52.4 31.1 25.3 22.8 15.1 6.9 18.1 34.5 38.7 46.3 34.6 46.9 13.6 18.9 23.4 33.7 22.5 20.9 15.4 23 21.7 14.9 28.4 24 18.2 7.3 19.9 31.4 36.8 30.3 22 39.4 3.3 3.4 0.8 8.3 3.2 1.3 3.6 3.5 0.9 Jan Feb July Now All Respondents Now Political choices of young voters aged 16 to 35