Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1542372
13 LOOKING FORWARD 2026 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 4 JANUARY 2026 From gym vids, to beef and loose ends Edwin Vassallo, whose flirtations with conspiracy theories and religious con- servativism may irk middle-of-the-road voters the PN needs to win the next general election. Abela's loose ends MaltaToday's end-of-year edition christened 2025 as the year of unfin- ished business, and this was especially true for Robert Abela. Tying up loose ends will be one of Ab- ela's priorities in the new year, with two proving particularly challenging due to their contrasting nature. The first loose end he must tie up is his sudden belief that Malta needs more open spaces. One of Abela's most respectable U-turns in 2025, the return of Manoel Island and other spaces to the public, will be his battle cry in 2026. His new year message was symbolically filmed on Manoel Island, and to the list that includes White Rocks and Fort Camp- bell, Abela also added Fort Tigne. In 2026, Abela will want to present him- self as someone who cares about open spaces. But the other loose end comes in the form of two behemoth draft bills he tried to sneak past the public in the middle of last summer. Indeed, Bill 143 and Bill 144, which were dubbed as "a developer's wish list" generated a lot of public anger and protest that forced the government to stop in its tracks. In 2026, Abela must conclude the planning reform saga by somehow sat- isfying both developers whose hopes were raised and environmentalists who feel betrayed by his antics on the issue. And yet, Abela may also choose to leave the planning bills on hold until after the general election. Like his opponent, the prime minister will use the next 12 months to double down on his brand, presenting himself as a battle-proven leader with experi- ence that Borg doesn't have. Abela has already begun framing the age difference between himself and Borg as a difference of experience. But the prime minister is likely to be ad- vised not to appear like a parental figure who knows best, in contrast to Borg's image as the cool uncle with whom the children get along well. This is why one can expect 2026 to be the year Abela gives his best perfor- mance as 'Ċikku l-Poplu'. Expect a healthy dose of gym videos, family photos, day-in-the-life vlogs, and pastizzi at the village bar from Robert Abela in 2026. The 'Jason' problem One very common problem Borg and Abela have to tackle in 2026 is personi- fied in two controversial figures people love to hate both called Jason. Jason Azzopardi on one hand and Ja- son Micallef on the other have become too loud, aggressive, and at times an- noying for the respective parties they are associated with. Although Borg and Abela would like to keep their Jasons on tight leashes, they know the two are somewhat un- controllable. In Azzopardi's case, he no longer forms part of the PN and so Borg's problem is dealing with the perception Labour likes to peddle that the lawyer represents a faction within the party. In Micallef's case, the situation is trickier for Abela because the former is a public official who heads two gov- ernment entities and also a PL special delegate responsible for the implemen- tation of the manifesto. What Micallef does and says has a more direct impact on Abela and his administration. Borg and Abela will want to distance themselves from their respective Jasons in 2026 so as not to alienate middle-of- the-road voters. The question is will they, do it? Only they have the answer. The problems posed by the Jasons are by no means limited to these two individuals. In 2025, we saw Borg and Abela successfully confront controver- sial figures within their parties. Borg did this quietly when he removed the justice portfolio from Karol Aquilina's hands, and Abela when he finally sev- ered ties—again—with Russophile and homophobe Neville Gafa after having given him a job as a customer care of- ficial at OPM. Ultimately, these decisions boil down to a choice of narratives: The 'us and them' narrative, which emboldens die- hard supporters and the moderate em- bracing narrative required to convince political orphans to vote for them. Ex- pect more of the latter in 2026, unless both leaders want to commit political hara-kiri. Alex Borg and Robert Abela will be writing their most important chapter in 2026 before the next general election is due (Photos: Facebook) the two leaders pumping iron and looking sporty as they