Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/878567
13 maltatoday, SUNDAY, 24 SEPTEMBER 2017 change through sheer public mo- bilisation. The coalition dilemma Cacopardo's reluctance to join a coalition with the PN, despite calls from its former leader, Michael Briguglio, to do so in the wake of Panamagate in the last general election, may have saved the party from being on the losing side. But it also came at a big cost, with AD losing half its 2013 voters, gaining a miserly 0.8% of the vote. Cacopardo himself had agreed to a coalition with the PN as long as it had a common name and plat- form, something which was unac- ceptable for the PN from day one. The PN had made it abundantly clear that it would have never ac- cepted contesting the election un- der any name but theirs. Some may see this as testimony of Cacopardo and Cassola's unwa- vering character, but others saw this unwillingness to compromise as a weakness. The Democratic Party's ability to snatch two seats thanks to its coalition with the PN made AD's result pill harder to swallow. AD's refusal may well have been a political calculation based on the likelihood of a La- bour victory. But what is sure is that despite the magnitude of the Panama scandal, AD failed in its declared strategy of winning over PL vot- ers disgusted by corruption and unwilling to cross over to the PN- led Forza Nazzjonali. It left AD in the same place as before, that of eternally competing with the PN for votes. Arnold Cassola resigned af- ter taking stock of the result, but Cacopardo immediately made himself available for the post as long as no other viable alterna- tive emerged. In some ways, like Cassola in 2013 (after Briguglio's resignation) Cacopardo may well have taken a post nobody wanted to take. And that raises questions on the inability of the party to regener- ate itself with new members with leadership abilities. Way past its expiry date? Where does all this leave AD? With Cacopardo at the helm, one may expect AD to become belli- cose in its relation with both ma- jor parties, probably reserving a greater dose of animosity towards the Democratic Party, which it may view more as a rival than a potential ally. By uncharacteris- tically advocating an open discus- sion on abortion-a stance which contrasts with his past reluctance to take on issues like gay marriage, Cacopardo has broken a taboo which may be indicative of the party's search for a more radical identity which may compliment a more left wing perspective on eco- nomic and social issues. Cacopardo's style and approach on their own reinforce a distinc- tion between AD and other par- ties at a time when other parties have opted for more charismatic figures. He may be seen as a "what you see is what you get" authentic figure in a world of made-up poli- ticians. But whether this would be inspi- rational for potential new mem- bers is a completely different mat- ter. In this way he may emulate the new leader of the UK Liberal Democrats: Vince Cable, who has pledged to fight "the irrational cult of youth" and to reflect the country's "more sober mood". Judging from the party's failure to renew itself in the past five years during which he served as deputy chairman, it remains doubtful whether Cacopardo is best placed to attract a new generation of ac- tivists who would eventually re- place the older generation. A more pragmatic side to Ca- copardo comes across in his blogs as an astute political analysts. As someone who likes playing the po- litical game he may try to exploit the weaknesses faced by a new PN leadership following a bitter power struggle which saw the par- ty turning on itself. He may even see some space for growth among Labour-inclined voters in view of Muscat's promised departure be- fore the next election. The greatest question he faces is whether AD is simply surviv- ing by ignoring the obvious signs pointing at its inevitable demise, or whether it can rise again. MEP and local elections next year may give a definitive answer. Failing in the favourable circum- stances of elections where the government of the country is not at stake, may well be the final nail in the coffin. Yet just as AD ben- efitted from the aftermath of the PN's bitter contest in 2003 in the subsequent 2004 MEP elections, it may well find a more favour- able terrain this time round, even if it may find competition from the PD and less good will among PN-leaning voters than Cassola enjoyed a year after the EU refer- endum. If AD lives for another day, it may well end up with more ne- gotiating power on the coalition table next time round. But that would depend on the PN not be- ing strong enough to go it alone, a very likely prospect considering declarations of both PN leader- ship contenders on the undesir- ability of continuing the party's coalition with the PD beyond this legislature. swimming against the tide POST OF PARLIAMENTARY USHER I AT THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES The Clerk of the House of Representatives invites applications for the post of Parliamentary Usher I. Details concerning the conditions, duties, eligibility requirements, selection and submission of applications can be found in the call for applications which may be downloaded from the website of the Parliament of Malta at the following address http://parlament.mt or collected from the Resource and Facilities Section, House of Representatives, Freedom Square, Valletta VLT 1111. Applications, together with the relative documentation, will be received by the House of Representatives by not later than noon (CET), Friday, 29 September 2017, or submitted electronically on dcs@parlament.mt. From left: Arnold Cassola, Carmel Cacopardo, and secretary-general Ralph Cassar