Efforts to unite the people through a single national day have so far failed – but the divisions are only skin deep, notes JAMES DEBONO
Judging by the results of a MaltaToday survey conducted in April 2009, choosing one national day which satisfies the entire population, or even a majority, could well be an impossible task. The survey showed that none of the current five national days enjoys the support of an absolute majority of the population; and despite the appropriation of two of these dates by the two big parties, only 48% choose Freedom or Independence Day; while 35% opt for either Victory Day (13%), Sette Giugno (12%) or Republic Day (10%).
The survey showed that Independence Day – chosen by 27% is the most favoured day followed by Freedom Day at 21%.
Independence Day enjoys greater support among university-educated respondents (35%), Nationalist Party supporters (51%) and those aged between 18 to 34 (30%). Support for Independence Day ranks lowest among respondents aged between 35 and 54 (22%) and among those with a primary level of education (25%).
On the other hand only 3.8% of those with a tertiary education opt for Freedom Day as Malta’s national day. Freedom Day enjoys the highest approval among Labour voters (43%). But significantly, 38% of Labour respondents opt for other national days, while 10% would keep the status quo of five national days.
Unsurprisingly, only 3.2% of Labour respondents opt for Independence Day, which was taken off the official calendar under Dom Mintoff. Independence was only rehabilitated in Labour’s history books under former leader Alfred Sant. On the other hand, 7% of PN voters opt for Freedom Day.
Support for Victory Day – which commemorates the 1565 Great Siege and the victory of Nazi Fascism in the Second World War attracts the highest support among Nationalist voters (18%) and those aged between 35 to 54 (18%).
Sette Giugno, which commemorates the 1919 bread riots, is more preferred by tertiary educated respondents (19%) and middle aged respondents aged between 34 to 55.
On the other hand, Republic Day – which commemorates the end of the monarchy in Mintoff’s heyday in 1974, and which was supported by a vast majority in Parliament at the time – is mostly preferred by Labour respondents (13%).
Nearly 4% choose alternative days to the current five national days. These included May 1 (International Workers Day) and March 8 (International Women’s Day).
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