Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1529157
9 ANALYSIS maltatoday | SUNDAY • 10 NOVEMBER 2024 Abela wins, but then goes too far for being insensitive and disconnected from the public, Abela convinc- ingly argued that under Grech, the PN has even lost its "competence". He questioned Grech's ability to manage the country's finances effectively when he can't even present his own party's accounts and clear its multi-million debts. Turning the tables, Ab- ela suggested that Labour was more eager for Grech to remain PN leader than the Nationalist Party it- self, which was wracked by internal divisions. He even hinted that Adrian Delia, his former leader- ship rival, was the mole who leaked the pre-budget document – a claim out- rightly rejected by Delia. This appeared to be an attempt by Abela to divert attention from cracks in his own party, to ongo- ing scepticism within the PN about Grech's abili- ty to lead it to victory in 2027. Abela, who relishes these confrontations, was clearly winning the day, spurred on by the con- stant applause of his par- liamentary group. PM or schoolyard bully? However, true to his character, Abela kept pressing, continually be- littling the Opposition leader. At one point, he even seemed to take a dig at Grech's portly appear- ance when he referenced a budget measure offering six months of free gym membership to young people. While noting that Grech did not appear to welcome this measure, Abela – a former body- builder who put his phy- sique on show during a pre-budget stunt along- side social media gym rats Bulletproof – suggested it would be good for the Opposition leader to join a gym. Abela was surely more entertaining in his deliv- ery than Grech but his constant mockery risked making him look like a schoolyard bully, poten- tially alienating moder- ates put off by this unbe- coming behaviour. The PM's saving grace was that he was discussing a largely popular budget, making it less likely for people to view Grech as their advocate against an arrogant Prime Minister. The risk of such confron- tations is that they tend to turn a clash of political ideas into a spectacle akin to a wrestling match. While political leaders in Malta have levelled far more serious accusations at each other in the past, such a mud fight may fur- ther fuel public distrust in the political system. Moreover, these ex- changes seem to compen- sate for the lack of sub- stantial policy differences, with both parties converg- ing on tax cuts and bene- fits financed by a contin- ually expanding economy. Despite all the talk of a different economic model, the Opposition is increas- ingly reluctant to rock the boat in its bid to reassure both voters and business interests. And while Abela's take- down of Grech tapped in- to widespread sentiment that Grech is not ready for government, the elector- ate may be in a more sober mood, expecting Abela to show more humility after being shown a yellow card in the MEP elections in June. Abela was surely more entertaining in his delivery than Grech but his constant mockery risked making him look like a schoolyard bully