A MediaToday survey of the priorities of voters conducted last March allows us an indication of what weighs most heavy on our collective mind. How that will determine the results in the June 6 election, however, remains a mystery. By HARRY VASSALLO
Irregular immigration Unsurprisingly, immigration looms largest at 36%. There can be little doubt that at all that vast segment wants the issue addressed as soon as possible. The question is: what exactly is it that all these people want, and who can best give it to them?
We are all agreed that Malta cannot possibly take even a significant fraction of the human tide currently crossing the Mediterranean. Between them, Labour and PN – with the help of the Lega Nord – have succeeded in raising tension to fever pitch.
Labour entered the field first, earning the Nationalist accusation of exploiting a national issue in a partisan manner. Significantly, the PN is now reminding the electorate that “not even Alfred Sant” had resorted to making mileage out of the issue.
As far as the EP elections go, we can rest assured that both PN and PL candidates will be elected and apart from calling each other names, they can be relied on to appear to be doing all they can to please the public on this issue with very little difference in the positions each side takes.
Beyond that, for those who are concerned that the general panic does not lead us down the slippery path to human rights violations, only the Greens have had a courageous if unpopular position upholding basic European and human rights values in dealing with the problem.
After a fiery declamation two months ago by leader Josie Muscat - who nailed his “10 Immigration Commandments” to the Cathedral door, only to discover that eight of them were actually illegal - Azzjonali Nazzjonali appear to have backpedalled on this issue with a low-key campaign. This leaves the more radical statements to Imperium Europa’s Norman Lowell, who is contesting in spite of a suspended sentence for incitement to racial hatred.
Lowell remains the dark horse in this electoral, and though few dare mention this out loud, all parties will be keen to see how many votes he will succeed in racking up on the strength of their own inability to inspire confidence among an exasperated and at times belligerently xenophobic electorate.
The likelihood is that he will improve on his dismal 2004 tally; by what degree, however, is difficult to say.
The economy
Economic issues tag close behind with a combined weight of 26.3% of those polled picking them first.
Of these, employment comes first with one of 10 people polled citing job security as the major concern. Several manufacturing enterprises have had to put their workforce on a four-day working week in response to a drop in demand for their products. The uncertainty this causes is not limited only to those directly affected.
In response to such concerns the political parties have “sloganised” the issue with the PL simplistically totting up the whole and finding the PN Government wanting, while the PN responds by promising “employment for you” as the major item in its campaign.
But exactly how Nationalist MEPs expect to create more Maltese jobs from distant Brussels remains unclear... just as the PL accusing finger does not quite make it stick that the PN is to blame for the entire global financial crisis.
For 9.3% of us it appears that the cost of living – that old staple of political wars and battles – is what needs to be seen to first. But how are MEPs to see to that? Will voting Labour on June 6 make our water and electricity bills easier to bear? Voting PN will not affect them either. Still, it is understandable that the paying public raises this issue, while so many candidates are vying for election to a salary amounting to hundreds of thousands of euros.
The state of the economy per se is a worry for 7% of the voting public, and this is no wonder. For months now we have had bad news getting worse combined with unbelievable scandals in connection with the global financial crisis. Pumping hundreds of billions of dollars and euros into the mess has not provided us with any sure fix.
What does it really mean when people respond in a survey that their top priority is the economy? How do they express that choice in their vote? Does it mean that this 7% will be voting Edward Scicluna as the only economist on offer or Vince Farrugia as a veteran warrior for the small and medium enterprise? Will it disadvantage candidates considered alien to economic issues?
The environment By lumping all economic issues together we can count on the environment to take third place in people’s minds. In a country where even the global financial crisis manages to arrive late, it should be no surprise that there seems to be very little concern on the issue of climate change. This epochal threat undercuts every other issue and is clearly an appropriate criterion for choosing our representatives in the EP, where it can best be addressed.
But barely one in 20 (4.3%) of those surveyed placed the environment at the top of their list but again what does the environment mean to them? Is it a matter of too much litter in the streets or a concern about pollution, food quality and the challenges of bioengineering? How does all this translate into votes? Will all 4.3% necessarily vote Green? What effect will the candidatures of Alan Deidun and Steve Borg have in deviating Green votes towards the PN and PL respectively? Any at all?
As things stand, environmental issues entered the campaign through the back door. The extension of the Delimara power station, with its controversial contract awarded amid accusations of foul play, has
Both Labour and AD have slammed the decision to go for a heavy fuel oil turbine at a time when
Hunting & Trapping Closely related to the environment but only in a confusing way, the hunting issue registers at the top of the list with 3.3% of those polled. Here, too, analysis is perplexing. One must assume that the bulk of that 3.3% consists in irate hunters and trappers, but a significant fraction will also number their adversaries, the equally incensed birders.
The inclusion of Edward Demicoli among the PN’s candidates causes embarrassment for candidates determined to woo the hunters by performing the necessary contortions to argue the case for ending Spring hunting, while fighting tooth and nail for its reopening in Brussels.
The PL is in the same predicament, with Joseph Muscat holding meetings with the hunters’ lobby, while fielding Steve Borg as his Red-Green candidate.
Although this is supremely European issue because it arises as a consequence of the implementation of EU Directives, chances are that it will be an electoral irrelevance. The confusion is likely to lead both hunters and ornithologists to follow their party leanings rather than their feelings on this issue: among birders and hunters there will be red as well as blue. It is fair to assume that there will be significant abstentions among hunters who feel that they have been taken for a ride by everybody concerned, and particularly among the blue hunters who have good reason to believe that their own PN is responsible for their woes.
Car registration VAT The question of refunds on VAT paid on car registration featured spectacularly in the run up to this election with 2.7% in our survey saying that this is their top issue. Here a clear Government – Opposition divide exists but has the issue already faded? Whether even a fraction of a percentage point of the 6th June vote will be determined by this issue remains to be seen, but so far the only candidate to have spoken out about the issue is Roberta Metsola Tedesco Triccas. This caused some embarrassment to the PN, but nonetheless the young lawyer appears to enjoy some backing within party circles.
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