Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/832638
maltatoday, MONDAY, 5 JUNE 2017 7 News Analysis It also raises questions about whether the good governance issue should remain the PN's battle-cry or whether the party should concentrate on other is- sues like the economy or living standards. Another major dilemma for the PN is whether it can af- ford to associate itself with extremist or highly charged discourse and exaggerations, which sometimes served to delegitimise its valid criti- cism. For while the drama in the country was a direct result of Muscat's personal decision to retain Konrad Mizzi and Keith Schembri in office de- spite being exposed for own- ing Panama companies, voters may have found divisive lan- guage off-putting. Extremist discourse also gave Labour the opportunity to create a carica- ture of the PN. What is sure is that if PN opts for a new leader, he or she will have the carte blanche to impose changes, which Simon Busuttil lacked when he was elected in 2013. For, as Gonzi's anointed suc- cessor, Busuttil was still crip- pled in his first three years as leader by factional infighting, which led him to fiascos like his abstention on civil unions. Neither was he in a position to enact a complete break with the past as in many ways he represented continuity. It was only in his final year that Bu- suttil started asserting his au- thority. The irony for the PN is that it risks removing Busuttil at the moment when he started breaking up with the past. Rule by plebiscite? One major dilemma for Mus- cat is whether to interpret this result as one which washes away the stains on governance or one which gives him more leeway to reign in those ele- ments which have stained his party's and government's repu- tation. Another issue is whether the result will lead to further re- trenchment and hostility to- wards critics from civil society and the media. Muscat's bull- ish tone during the campaign clearly contrasted with his more inclusive pitch in 2013. This may suggest that Muscat will feel emboldened to be more assertive and bullish in the next five years. His appeal to nation- al reconciliation in his victory speech suggests that Muscat is aware of this dilemma. Yet much depends on what he understands by reconcilia- tion; whether his reference to "national unity" represents a recognition of pluralism or a mind-frame which is inherent- ly hostile to irreverent voices which may be inconvenient for the powers that be but which are vital for democracy. Media commentaries by Labour ex- ponents have already singled out the independent media for taking a political stance, despite this being something which happens in all demo- cratic countries. Emboldened by such a result Muscat may be strong enough to ignore Panamagate and its various ramifications. After managing to win convinc- ingly, despite retaining Mizzi as Minister and Schembri, he may well decide to retain them. With the Opposition in sham- bles, he would have achieved the aim of the Blitzkrieg elec- tion – that of vanquishing the Opposition and making it re- gret of making corruption its major issue. One major con- sideration is that Muscat has already indicated that he will only serve in office for 10 years. But boosted by another super- majority Muscat may choose to lead his party towards an- other victory in five years' time and perhaps resign after. What is sure is that the re- sult reinforces the perception of Labour as Muscat's party. It clearly indicates that his formula of appeasing big busi- ness, introducing more civil liberties and strengthening so- cial safety nets has been elec- torally successful. Whether this model is economically and environmentally sustainable in the long-term remains to be seen. But so far the electorate has clearly approved it. But if that is the case – and his permanence in office is not upset by the pending judicial inquiries – he will have to start grooming a new leader in the next five years. Pending magisterial inquiries on Egrant and Keith Schem- bri may make his honeymoon a bit less agreeable but much depends on the results of these investigations. The most dev- astating scenario would be that in which the magistrate finds enough evidence that Muscat has lied on the ownership of Egrant. In such a scenario the legitimacy of the new govern- ment would be questioned and the country will be thrown in disarray. But if Muscat were to be ab- solved in the Egrant inquiry, he would have even more am- munition to devastate the Opposition by holding them accountable for fabricating evidence against him. This would further consolidate his hold on power. Emboldened by his super-majority, Muscat will survive less dramatic sce- narios like being absolved on Egrant while his chief of staff is subjected to further investi- gations.