Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/731331
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 25 SEPTEMBER 2016 10 JAMES DEBONO OPPOSITION leader Simon Bu- suttil wants a "national coalition against corruption" that he said will open the doors of his party to anyone who wants to join "the fight". Another leaf taken out of Joseph Muscat's pre-2013 play- book, it is not – as yet – a leap into modern continental politics, where different parties negotiate a common binding programme to form a formal coalition. The glue of Busuttil's church re- mains trust in the leader. And Sal- vu Mallia, the spurned TV broad- caster who was first to heed the call, has already made it clear that he would vote against a future Na- tionalist government if this trust is broken. So here we are: left with yet an- other presidential leader setting in motion a "movement" with no for- mal structures, in a bid to secure a change in government. Sounds like 2013 all over again. Salvu Mallia's cautionary tale For Busuttil, Salvu Mallia is a walking advert and testimonial in the same way as Cyrus Engerer, Kevin Drake, John Bundy and Marisa Micallef had been before the 2013 election. Mallia provides a narrative for switchers pondering on whether or not to trust the PN again. His political story also stands as a cau- tionary tale of what happens when a vulture like the PM's aide Glenn Bedingfield unleashes his poison pen on anyone critical of the gov- ernment. Bedingfield is today serving as Busuttil's best recruitment agent, in a way that is not different from the way Daphne Caruana Galizia's poison-pen blog and attacks on PN critics alienated people from the PN before 2013. The only dif- ference is that Bedingfield's salary is paid by taxpayers. But how far can Mallia's testimo- nial secure long-term change and hold leaders like Muscat and Bu- suttil accountable when they are elected? Lobbies like the gay rights move- ment secure progressive changes thanks to an informal alliance with Labour. So people like Mallia can act strategically to secure their aims: his is that of seeing Muscat's downfall after Panamagate, the worsening track record in govern- ance, and the unwarranted attacks he endured. Helping the PN win the next election is a logical and automatic choice. In this frame of mind, Mallia rep- resents unforgiving electors who will punish governments that be- tray them, by shifting allegiance to the Opposition. Coalitions for change But this is only sweet revenge. Securing long-term democratic change means seeking formal al- liances between different parties – each of which has a history, an identity and a track record that can add value to a common and binding pact for change. Malta's electoral system makes post-electoral coalitions very un- likely because small parties have very few chances of winning seats. But it does leave a window open for pre-electoral pacts, which would however require different parties contesting on one com- mon list. Busuttil himself and the PN may have more to gain with this lat- ter path, than from re-proposing Muscat's pre-2013 formula. First of all, in a presidential con- test Muscat starts as a favourite. By proposing himself as a leader of a diverse movement, Busuttil is not changing the dynamics of the contest. In the end it will still be a News The Chief Executive Officer notifies the issue of a Request for Information (RFI) to conduct market research for the provision and management of catering services at the Mediterranean Conference Centre (MCC). The relative document can be obtained free of charge from the reception desk of the MCC during office hours as from Monday 26th September 2016. The requested information must reach the Administrative offices in hard copy by not later than 9.30 a.m. (CET) of Monday 24th October 2016. Request For Informatoin Mediterranean Conference Centre, Valletta Email: info@mcc.com.mt C M Y CM MY CY CMY K MCC advert_RFI_ENGLISH.pdf 1 20/09/2016 12:00 PM Busuttil can only give the PN a chance to return to power by convincing the electorate it will limit its own power: but that can only be in a real coalition with other parties, and not a motley crew of individuals cheering him Busuttil's national coalition. After Salvu Mallia who else? JAMES DEBONO