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Karl Schembri
The Nationalist Party has been holding backdoor meetings with the Labour party in an attempt to postpone the March local elections. Party insiders told
MaltaToday the PN was eager to avert another possible electoral defeat so close to the European Parliament election fiasco last June.
In the secret meetings with the Malta Labour Party held over the last weeks, the PN proposed to change the setup of the Local Councils Association so that it would fairly represent the majority of Labour councillors in return for the March postponement.
The MLP however has made it clear it will not give its go-ahead for the postponement of the upcoming elections at such a late hour although in principle it agrees with extending the councils’ terms of office from three to four years.
Labour is looking at the March elections as an opportunity to increase its electoral base.
The discussions saw PN Secretary General Joe Saliba and the President of the PN’s College of Councillors Malcolm Mifsud, making their case for the postponement of the elections, whilst MLP Secretary General Jason Micallef and Labour spokesman on local councils Chris Cardona voicing their opposition.
Apart from the political consequences of having to face yet another election at a time when government’s popularity is on the decline, the PN is also concerned that the expenses involved to run another campaign would drain its coffers substantially.
“There hasn’t been an agreement (with Labour) so far, although I won’t divulge anything,” Malcolm Mifsud told MaltaToday.
He said the discussions were being held in line with the mayors’ unanimous decision taken more than a year ago in favour of increasing councils’ terms to four years.
the Pieta Mayor denied the PN was doing any backdoor horsetrading, adding that the proposal to reform the Local Councils Association was proposed by the PN “from day one” anyway.
Jason Micallef confirmed discussions were ongoing and no agreement had been reached. He said the association’s setup had to be changed since it was undemocratic and unrepresentative.
“The association has to be changed to be truly representative of the majority of Labour councillors,” Micallef said.
Asked about postponing the March elections, Jason Micallef said he would not comment on ongoing discussions.
Malcolm Mifsud said: “In my opinion we’re already late. If the government finds itself with its back to the wall it will have to decide on its own.”
That would mean Home Affairs and Local Councils Minister Tonio Borg would have to change the law without Labour’s consent.
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