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13 ANALYSIS maltatoday | SUNDAY • 24 SEPTEMBER 2023 Designate leader or prop? bold. Some aspects of her speech of- fered a glimpse of a more modern, dynamic and liberal party lead- er in synch with environmental and social priorities and one who will empower women to take on more positions of power. But oth- er soundbites may have appealed to mainstream conservatives who see in Metsola a Thatcher-like 'lady who is not for turning', who speaks about rewarding enter- prise and hard work while ar- resting the country's descent into 'mediocrity'. Moreover, she did so without taking a single controversial and divisive political position, which can possibly alienate potential supporters. And crucially she entertained her partisan audience while keep- ing in mind a sizeable chunk of people who are disenchanted by the current breed of politicians but look up to her as one of the most successful Maltese politi- cians in the international scene. Instead of not voting, this seg- ment may well choose to show their appreciation by voting for Metsola, whose constituency may extend beyond the PN's shrinking base. Surely, she has her own Achil- les heel which may alienate some in the party's conservative grass roots - her institutional pro- choice position which reflects the view of the European parliament but probably not that of the ma- jority of people who were eagerly applauding her in Pjazza Tritoni. It is a question which she may eventually have to address in a party whose grass roots oppose abortion but whose intransigent position alienates liberals, femi- nists and influencers in civil so- ciety. Still, Metsola's larger than life persona may well insulate her, turning her into a Teflon politi- cian with a carte blanche in build- ing the party in her image. The hawk who does not need to speak about corruption Neither does she have to prove herself as an anti-corruption warrior. She is already perceived as a hawk who refused to shake hands with Joseph Muscat and who can now present herself as a moderate with an inclusive pitch. This explains why she refrained from the usual litany against La- bour's corrupt deeds with her only reference to corruption be- ing one which throws the onus on herself and her party to lead by example. Unlike Adrian Delia, she has no need to prove herself as a fighter against Labour's cor- ruption. She can move on with- out having a cloud of suspicion hanging over her. Significantly absent from her speech was any reference to her own party's mantra on Labour's economic model and population growth. Rather than attacking Labour on the increase in the number of foreigners living in Malta, she made a sensible call for more planning in sectors like transport, roads and waste col- lection. While this comes at the risk of ignoring an issue which dominates public concerns, she is also avoiding a race to the bot- tom on an issue which risks fuel- ling xenophobia. Her speech was also full of plat- itudes on excellence, high stand- ards and meritocracy with which hardly anyone can disagree. And her tirade against medioc- rity panders to both liberals who look up to European standards and to conservatives appalled by what they see as a freefall from a mythical golden age. "We want to make Malta a centre of excellence by apply- ing high standards in everything we do. The mentality that everything goes is unacceptable, because mediocrity erodes soci- ety," she said. But her message rather than being one of gloom and doom was aspirational. "We are capable. Full Stop," she said. She has also shown a remark- able ability to capture the pub- lic mood in sound bites which incarnate a vision of a more meritocratic and aspirational country: "We want Malta to be a place where everyone can move forward, irrespective of whether one is blue or red, where what is yours by right does not depend on who you know." On a cultural level she also yearned for a society "where young people ask questions and learn not to believe everything they are told", a statement which resonates with free thinkers and political agnostics. In the same vein she also invited journalists to hold her accountable for her actions. But what about the working class? The indications here are that Metsola's economic vision hinges on the trickle-down effect of economic growth and shows no appetite for reforms advocat- ed by anti-poverty activists like mandatory increases in the min- imum wage or the introduction of a living wage. "We want a country where those on the minimum wage or a low pension can earn more and where the middle class can grow." In short, these workers will have to wait for the cake to get bigger so that more crumbs fall their way. She also makes it clear that her idea of equality is "not to turn everyone the same" but to offer the same opportunities so every- one can prosper. The problem in this approach is that it fails to address deep structural inequal- ities which are often disguised as 'differences' and which are likely to fester if not confronted head on by a redistribution of wealth aimed at reducing inequality. It's the economy stupid Significantly unlike all PN lead- ers elected after Gonzi, she puts the economy and prosperity at the centre of her narrative. Her vision of excellence is in- terlinked with the development of new economic sectors which promise more prosperity for everyone. In her vision, entre- preneurs are presented as heroes who create jobs and wealth. She also shuns state intervention especially when this results in competition with the private sector for labour and resources but stopped short of committing herself for privatisations or the liberalisation of essential servic- es like electricity as recently pro- posed by her party. She also hinted at fiscal initia- tive aimed at rewarding private initiative while speaking of an economy "where both workers and employers make more mon- ey." Clearly making money for her is not a sin but a virtue which should be nurtured. Ultimately despite some hic- cups in the delivery, in the space of 25 minutes Metsola managed to spell out a coherent and confi- dent narrative for a centre-right party which struggles with its own identity and is ready to en- gage in a "a national conversa- tion" on creating a better future. It is therefore hard not to look at this speech as Metsola's launching pad for her own cam- paign to become Malta's next PM. What is sure is that Metso- la has set a train in motion, one from which she will find it hard to pull off even if she wishes to. While many see in Roberta Metsola a potential to become party leader and possibly prime minister, few currently perceive BernardGrech as a future PM