Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/594552
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 1 NOVEMBER 2015 15 trade zone." I say that it's an easy explana- tion that could be applied to any sector. Farrugia goes fur- ther. "Sensitive positions include chairman and CEOs. I believe meritocracy should be really ap- plied at middle-management po- sitions because it's these people who execute the vision and di- rection of the board." Farrugia makes similar conces- sions for the grave shortcomings in governance under Labour, de- claring himself to be at odds with the notion that Labour is in bed with property speculators. "If I see Labour become that party that is in collusion with property speculators, I will not be part of it," he says, although he admits that the perception is clearly there. "What I see is that we have had resignations when they were demanded," he says referring to Manuel Mallia and the Shee- han incident. "And on Old Mint Street's expropriation, there are independent investigations. So while I am worried about this perception of Labour, I'm not worried about the action being taken, because the Prime Minis- ter will take the steps necessary to address these shortcomings. And the minute I don't see this kind of attention, I will leave," Farrugia boldly states. "Yes there are elements in La- bour that are close to property speculators," he says as we drift onto to the clash with the envi- ronmental movement and the American University of Malta. "But this is a government, not a bowls club. There are people are who are not fit for purpose, who might abuse of their roles, and who have to face the music for that. I'm sure the PM will con- tinue cleaning the party's name… he said he would not let anyone tarnish this movement." The movement: is it not there where the contradictions be- tween Labour's pro-business drive and the aspirations of the green lobby were born? "Today we have a grand coali- tion of voters. Muscat has tapped into their aspirations, and I don't see other parties doing it. I think it's down to both Muscat and his policies. He truly shift the coun- try's tectonic plates, because there are people out there who voted for Labour for the first time in 2013 and will do the same in 2017 or 2018," Farrugia says of the presidential gel that keeps the Labour 'movement' content, for now. So it is clear that with Muscat some sort of legislative retire- ment by 2023 (at the end of a second term or even after secur- ing a possible third term), it will be even harder to find a leader who can secure the movement's future. But Farrugia is cocksure about the qualities of the next lead- er. "I've no doubt there will be someone with charisma and foresight to lead Labour. I don't see Muscat finishing from poli- tics. He will have a future in Europe, possible getting a real portfolio in the European Com- mission or leading the S&D or the Party of European Socialists. I actually see him take up Feder- ica Mogherini's post," he says of the EU's 'foreign minister' job. "I truly believe we will have a Mal- tese national in this kind of post one day." Won't he just step into a con- sultant's position with Henley & Partners selling citizenship, I ask? "Oh I think he would have tired of being a salesman by that time," he quips. You know, by 2023 a new La- bour leader will have to be elect- ed not just by some 700 party delegates, but by practically the entire party membership – which really means fresh-faced, ambi- tious Young Turks like Farrugia could be all suitable candidates for the top job. "Sarkozy said that every day he shaved he thought about being President. I'm not like that," he laughs. "But what are you getting at? Whether I'd like to be prime minister. Sure, why not?" Interview Young Turk from Labour's modernising wing, former youth leader Aaron Farrugia tells MATTHEW VELLA why politicians have to brush up their game and start getting more brainy about the way they help people PHOTOGRAPHY BY RAY ATTARD