Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/246133
7 News core vote Opposition leader Simon Busuttil ist MPs did with regards to Muscat's government. In fact, Busuttil's legitimate defence of his MEP's stance with regards to Malta now contradicts Busuttil's insistence in 2012 on not singling out Hungary over Orban's authoritarian constitutional reforms. Busuttil justifies this stance by saying that while citizenship is a European issue, constitutional reform is an internal matter of the member states. One wonders whether Busuttil would apply the same yardstick if a Labour government starts consolidating its power through constitutional change, thus drifting towards authoritarianism. Spot the Chinese businessmen But while MEPs are perfectly entitled to lobby against their own government when they are openly in disagreement with its policies, maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 22 JANUARY 2014 PN deputy leader for parliamentary affairs Mario de Marco the PN may be driven to more sensational acts aimed at undermining the scheme. One example of this was the pestering of an anonymous Chinese businessman at the airport – a fate met by African migrants who are often photographed without any consideration for their privacy or personal safety as they are brought in to Malta on AFM boats. But while it would have been perfectly legitimate to pester any applicant – including businessmen – with a proven shady reputation, in this case we were not even told the name of the prospective citizens, let alone his business record. Such reportage based simply on the fact that the individual was Chinese also raises the spectre of Sinophobia. Provoking Labour The PN could be banking on creating more nervousness on the government's side, which could rekindle Labour's intolerant streak, thus dealing a fatal blow to the PL's 'Taghna Lkoll' image. But this comes at a risk of going overboard. Such a strategy of radicalisation could be dangerous for the Nationalist Party, which risks being perceived as a destructive force rather than a voice of reason. In fact, there are plenty of arguments based on reason which can be deployed against the ill-conceived scheme. A destructive style of opposition could also alienate that category of apolitical voters, which shut off at any sign of confrontation. In this sense, Mario de Marco's principled but non-confrontational speech in parliament on Monday could well pave the way for an Opposition which wants to create a new coalition which is open to people who do not perceive Labour as an enemy to be beaten down at all costs. Moreover, while the citizenship issue is dominating the debate right now, by March Labour would be in a position to deliver on its promise to reduce electricity bills, thus taking away some of the steam gained by the PN over the past few days. As expected, the PN is also exploiting Marlene Farrugia's dissidence over the scheme. Although this is refreshing – in the sense of breaking Labour's anonymity on this issue, which leaves it at odds with mainstream social democracy. Farrugia's dissent may well have a corrosive effect on Labour's hegemony. This could be sweet revenge for the P, whose contradictions were ably exploited by an intransigent Opposition led by Joseph Muscat. But Muscat managed to do this by facilitating GonziPN implosion without doing the dirty work himself… which was left to the PN dissidents on the government's bench. One problem for the PN is that a part of the establishment has warmed to Labour's neo-liberal scheme, whose latest incarnation was launched in a press conference attended by the Chamber of Commerce and the Malta Hotels and Restaurant Association. A part of establishment must certainly remain blasé about the Malta Employers Association expressing concern on the reputational damage suffered by Malta. But this scenario raises a dilemma for the PN. Can it still oppose Labour from the centre right – a space occupied by Muscat – or should it outflank it from the left?