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7 Major Issues That Will Shape Malta’s Political Landscape In 2017 And Beyond

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After a tiring year of closely fought politics, the year ahead is set to be an interesting one to say the least. Here are some of the issues that are set to shake things up locally, at least in terms of politics.

1. PN leadership

The Nationalist Party is at a crossroads. After having ruled for an almost uninterrupted 25 years, it now seems to be on the brink of extinction after registering colossal landslide losses in every type of election for the past nine years. PN supporters are now desperate for a new leader to rise from the ashes and present a vision that can capture the public’s imagination. But as potential candidates hold back from declaring their interest and PN stalwarts spend more time worrying about returning the party back to its conservative roots, things don’t look great. All we know is that a new leader should be in place by October and their vision (or lack thereof) will shape the Maltese political landscape for years to come.  

Pn Leadership

The two main expected leadership contenders for PN: Claudio Grech and Chris Said.

2. Labour’s deputy leadership contest

While the Nationalist Party struggles to regroup, Labour is busy giving its own leadership a refresh that could also have a far-reaching impact. Prime Minister Joseph Muscat has already declared he will not contest another general election, meaning the next five years should see a new Labour leader elected at some point. In the meantime, the deputy leadership position is up for grabs, with three candidates in the running: Finance Minister Edward Scicluna, Equality Minister Helena Dalli and Health Minister Chris Fearne. 

Whoever gets the deputy leader role will be given a kickstart to the top position once Muscat decides to vacate, although other candidates are likely to also get into the running at that stage. Whatever happens, Malta’s next election seems guaranteed to be fought by two new faces heading both major parties, creating somewhat of a unique proposition to the Maltese electorate. 

Pl Deputy

Chris Fearne, Helena Dalli and Edward Scicluna, all vying for Labour’s deputy leadership.

3. Partit Demokratiku‘s role in Parliament

It’s a coup that was dampened by Labour’s massive landslide victory, but it’s a coup nonetheless. For the first time in recent history, a third party has worked its way into Maltese Parliament –  and not with one seat, but two. Sure, this was done with more creativity than some might have liked. The fact remains that the third party contested under PN’s ticket. And PD’s seats are legally considered to belong to PN. But one cannot deny that Marlene and Godfrey Farrugia are headstrong people who belong to a distinct political party and their behaviour in Parliament is likely to reflect this reality. This couple is certainly worth watching. A decision will be taken today regarding the relationship between PD and PN. 

Pd

4. Gay marriage

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat has already confirmed the first piece of legislation to be presented to Parliament in his second term will be a Bill for Marriage Equality and the discussion is expected to start as early as Monday. But the Nationalist Party has already expressed frustration that it has not been given a copy of the Bill a week in advance, as is tradition. 

While this could just be a storm in a teacup, it could also mean there’s something in the Bill that makes it not as straightforward as it sounds. Some sources believe the law may include some references to assisted reproduction which may create division within the Opposition benches. If this happens, the PN may face a situation similar to the one in 2014 when it abstained on the civil unions vote – a decision that haunted it during this year’s election campaign. 

Rainbow Flag Breeze

5. Legalisation of recreational cannabis

One of the boldest reforms the government seems to be planning is the legalisation of recreational cannabis, which could give Malta a brand new industry that could get Malta more worldwide attention. Depending on the type of legislation to be proposed, Malta could join the likes of Canada and Uruguay in being pioneers of an industry that could be worth up to €140 million per year. The island will also certainly attract weed tourism the impacts of which will need to be seen in the long term. 

Weed

6. Air Malta

Malta’s struggling national airline has once again been handed to a new minister for restructuring. Employees have seen this before, one too many times. But this time, there’s a glimmer of hope that also serves as a double-edged sword. The guy who’s been put in charge is Konrad Mizzi, a politician who is both hugely admired for his go-get-it attitude and incredibly suspect for his involvement in Panama Papers. The general impression is that if there’s one person who can get Air Malta on its feet again, it’s the former Energy Minister who already shook up Enemalta and the health sector. But will Air Malta be saved or sold? At what cost and in whose interest? Whatever the outcome, it’s likely to be shrouded in controversy, but that’s not new for Konrad Mizzi or this quiet little politically-obsessed island. 

Air Malta

7. Panama Papers magisterial inquiries

The election result may have overshadowed the various magisterial inquiries that were called to investigate the Prime Minister and his Chief of Staff, but these inquiries are still expected to reach a conclusion at some point. Although nothing is certain yet, the indications seem to be that there will be no evidence linking Joseph Muscat to Egrant, a company in Panama which his wife was accused of owning even in what the Muscats described as a despicable lie. But the mounting accusations against Muscat’s re-appointed Chief of Staff Keith Schembri might not be so easy to dismiss. And if any wrongdoing is found, Muscat will be accused of having jeopardised the Office of the Prime Minister by keeping Schembri even after the serious allegations were made public.  

Court Dissolves Fantasy Tours 20140204

Bonus. Oil exploration

It went relatively unnoticed, but Prime Minister Joseph Muscat added an interesting aspect to his own portfolio after this month’s election: oil exploration. This is usually something kept within the portfolios of energy, infrastructure or the economy. So what’s the significance? It could be a sign of things to come. Maybe there’s something Muscat knows that the rest of us do not. 

So far, Malta striking oil always been a pipe dream that few people thought possible. But if it happens, the impact will be colossal – both economically and politically. It will be particularly interesting to see how something like that would impact the relationships with our neighbours like Italy. The public is still in the dark about what made Italy so magnanimous in helping to solve Malta’s irregular migration problem. Could oil exploration have been a factor? And how might things change in years to come? Again, we’re going to have to wait and see. 

Oilrig

Can you think of any other major issues that could affect Malta’s political landscape in the near future? Have your say in the comments below or on Facebook.

READ NEXT: 7 Maltese Political Viral Videos That Need To Live On Forever

Christian is an award-winning journalist and entrepreneur who founded Lovin Malta, a new media company dedicated to creating positive impact in society. He is passionate about justice, public finances and finding ways to build a better future.

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