|
At 58 veteran politician Michael Falzon is contesting the EP election with the Nationalist Party. Here he talks about the campaign, hunters and the search for the “common ground” 
The Nationalist Party’s electoral campaign for the European Parliament unleashed on Thursday is a continuation of the ‘Iva’ (Yes) message that characterised last year’s double campaign to entice voters to vote ‘Yes’ for membership.
The campaign may be described as old hat and irrelevant to the issues at stake on 12 June when a beleaguered electorate has to select its five representatives to the European Parliament.
But Michael Falzon, who was heavily involved in the PN’s campaigns last year, does not agree with the assessment. “Why change a winning horse?” he responds to the criticism.
“The ‘Iva’ campaign last year worked and this will be an extension of that campaign. The PN is in the enviable position of being able to build on its successful past, something, which the Labour Party cannot do because it changed its position from pro-partnership to pro-membership.”
Falzon, a former minister and the eldest of the eight PN euro-candidates, insists on being called perit (architect) to differentiate himself from the MLP deputy leader with the same namesake.
With a CV that boasts years of political and administrative experience, Falzon’s candidature is the odd one out in a PN line up that is rather technocratic in nature.
I ask him whether the role of an MEP is all about being a technocrat or a politicians and he smiles at my question.
“I believe we should look at it from the political angle. It is politicians that take decisions at the end of the day. However, I wouldn’t discount the political acumen of other PN candidates. I think we are a good team,” he says.
I insist the EP is a totally different ball game from the confrontational style of Maltese parliament. Being a successful politician in Malta does not necessarily translate into competence for the job in Brussels.
Falzon is not winced by the argument. “I spent 20 years in Parliament and also served in various government administrations. I know the country’s weaknesses and where help is required. I have experience of the relationship between parliamentarians and citizens and know what makes people tick. But more than that I have experience, limited as it may be, in brokering political deals, which is a hallmark of how the European Parliament works with MEPs from different political groupings reaching consensus in the backrooms before putting legislation to the vote.”
And consensus, or “finding the common ground”, as Falzon describes it is one positive aspect of the European Parliament that he hopes would brush off on Maltese politicians.
“I am one of those who has given up on consensus politics ever being possible in Malta. It seems to be in our small island nature to indulge in rivalry. This characteristic can be seen not only in politics but in various aspects of our social life. Even though we have one church, we have managed to invent rivalry between different feasts, saints and clubs.
“The EU Parliament does not work on a confrontational basis because no one party has an absolute majority. MEPs from different political groups work together in the committees where legislation is drafted and proposed. The whole scope behind the EP is to try and find common ground between the different groups like often happens. It could be healthy for us Maltese to learn how to find common ground.”
One year after two gruelling electoral campaigns the electorate is displaying a sense of fatigue with yet another election in the pipeline. Falzon understands the prevailing mood but believes voters will not give the June election a cold shoulder.
“People cannot be fed up because they are exerting their democratic right to vote. However, there is a sense of coolness mainly due to the fact that this is not a do-or-die election. There is also another factor at play and that is in people’s minds the function of the European Parliament is still not clear,” Falzon says.
He describes the EP as one of the filters where Europe-wide regulations are passed. It is part of the system of checks and balances inherent within the EU.
“We negotiated the acquis as it is today but all regulations that come out from now onwards we have to participate in their drafting. The European Parliament is one institution where such legislation is discussed and amended. My role within the EP would be to participate in committees and give my contribution while at the same time trying to exert influence on other members within my political group.”
However, his apprehension on lack of voter participation does not last. “I am sure the political parties are capable of whipping up enthusiasm the closer we get to the election.”
Falzon acknowledges that Labour Party may find the going slightly tougher. “Today, despite changing its track on membership the MLP still gives the impression that it is uncomfortable with the EU. This, coupled with the fact that core Labourites cannot stomach the change, may turn MLP voters away from the polls.”
Elected PN candidates will form part of the European People’s Party, which currently is the largest political group represented in the EP. Everything indicates that after 12 June the EPP-ED will still be the largest party. The group brings together Europe’s Christian Democrat parties and conservatives.
But how can a europhile like Falzon sit next to a eurosceptic British conservative MEP in the same political group?
“The EPP’s full name also makes reference to European Democrats (ED), which practically refers to the British Conservatives. Even though they are internally confused over the UK’s membership of the EU and further European integration, the conservatives prefer to latch on to the EPP because they know it pays to participate in a larger group. Ironically it was the conservatives who took Britain into the EU and despite expressing doubts on European integration they never took the decision to pull the plug.
“Britain is a perfect example of how the historical pendulum works. Traditionally it was the Labour Party that wanted to withdraw Britain from the EU but eventually they came round to accepting the situation.”
Does he see the Maltese Labour Party being as enthusiastic as their British counterparts on EU affairs?
“Eventually it will happen but it cannot occur in just one year and by retaining the same leader, who so wholeheartedly opposed membership,” Falzon answers.
Back to European politics Falzon remarks that the Right is more united despite the differences with the British conservatives thus making for better co-ordination. “The Left is more fragmented with the Socialists, Greens and Communists having their own groups. It seems to be in the Left’s nature to be more litigious. They either rally around one leader, who almost assumes dictatorial proportions or else end up fighting between themselves,” he says with a telling smile on his face that unmasks the political animal within.
Come June, the major political parties will not only have each other to contend with but also the hunting lobby that has put forward its own candidate.
Falzon admits that the hunting lobby could damage both major parties but insists the likeliness is that hunters would eat away more votes from the Labour Party than the PN.
“The hunters’ candidate only has a very remote chance of getting elected. But hunters have to be aware that it is in the interest of PN MEPs to preserve the derogation obtained during negotiations for the retention of Spring hunting, contrary to Alternattiva Demokratika that wants to remove the derogation.
“Hunters cannot kid themselves. With one MEP they will not be able to influence the situation. They will simply sit on the fringe. Hunters can get what they want only through the election of PN MEPs.”
Falzon’s target electorate is the PN’s grass roots base. “I am aiming for the pro-PN middle-aged voters, who know me working in the party since my early days. They know me as a parliamentarian when the party was in Opposition and then as a minister. I don’t need to be introduced to them.”
He argues that this one is a different campaign from any before it. “With Malta being one big district one-to-one contact with voters is less possible. While on a district the quota is normally 3,000 plus votes this time around the quota is 39,000 plus. This is more of a media campaign.”
According to Falzon, a victory for the PN would be if the party obtained a majority of votes and three out of the five available seats. He however admits that some people may use the election to signal their protest against government, something, which Falzon thinks would benefit Alternattiva Demokratika. Falzon is aware that the country’s economic situation took a turn for the worse last year and the repercussions are being felt now.
“In 1998 government had charted out a plan to bring down the deficit and things were moving along nicely. Finances went haywire in 2003. Let us not forget this was an election year and like often happens in election year, the economy and business in general slowed down. To make matters worse it also coincided with an international slump. We did not take people for a ride for a whole five years. I believe the situation is not beyond our grasp.”
Falzon also has a word of caution for the electorate. “It is time to mature. We still have a culture whereby unemployable people run after candidates and ministers to find them a job with government. This attitude has to change,” he insists.
I point out that the promised new spring has not yet materialised one year after the election. “I agree it hasn’t arrived yet but if I were to draw parallels with 1964 when we achieved independence, the situation was similar if not worse. Independence was a leap in the dark, unemployment was high, there was trepidation and fear, but eventually we reaped positive results. It will take time before we experience the positive impact of EU membership. But those who are pretending that the positive impact of EU membership is to be felt overnight are misleading the public. I am convinced that in two or three years’ time we will reap positive results.”
With the engineered landfill not yet ready and with plans for temporary landfills having been changed, the obvious question that arises is whether the island was ready for membership. As the months roll by more obligations would come Malta’s way and the burden is on government to deliver.
Falzon adopts a pragmatic approach to the issue. “Let us not believe that everything in the EU works perfectly. As for Maghtab it is only natural for such things to occur wherever people are working. Let us not pretend to be more European than Brussels. We will remain Maltese with all our defects just as the Greeks have remained Greeks and the Italians have not become Germans. What Brussels will do is help us mitigate our defects.”
Before leaving Falzon to his campaign trail, which is proving to be an intense battle for votes between candidates of the same party, I ask him whether being the smallest EU member state would be a problem for Malta.
“It’s not an argument I subscribe to. It is not the size of the population or the number EP seats that counts but grey matter. I’ve worked with foreigners and have had experience as a minister dealing with foreign counterparts. It all boils down to the capability of the person and I have nothing to fear in that respect.”
|
