There is a serious difficultly in deciphering what lies exactly behind the Prime Minister’s statements on an eventual Cabinet reshuffle after a national election, as was reported in the friendly press. The latest comment refers to the PM’s declaration that all his ministers are liable to be removed and replaced by new faces after the next national election.
It was undoubtedly a startling statement, one many would have thought they would never hear after repeated calls for a reshuffle of his ministers. But it is also a statement that underlines either a naiveté on the part of the prime minister, or a good dose of Machiavellian politics.
One of the constant criticisms of this administration is the prime minister’s reluctance to change his generals, other than the former finance and foreign minister John Dalli, who now appears to be back in the fold. In other cases, he has refused to even accept the resignation of transport minister Jesmond Mugliett – such has been Lawrence Gonzi’s reticence to change the Cabinet.
The truth is that the prime minister’s declaration that he would consider changing his Cabinet even if one of his heavyweight ministers were once again elected from two districts, addresses a consideration that is curious – if not outright suicidal.
Lawrence Gonzi is asking his generals to go to war knowing that what lies beyond victory is possible demotion. All of them are ‘on notice’. Certainly, it is a strange way of working in politics.
On the other hand, it could also encourage all the candidates to give their utmost in the next general election. It is probably the case. Serving in a party and politics at times turns out to be a rather thankless job, as many former party stalwarts will admit.
But Lawrence Gonzi has been grossly underestimated for his resolve and stamina.When he set out three years ago to address the issue of the structural deficit, many – including this media house – questioned whether he would succeed. And succeeded he has. Now that he has attempted to redress some of the hardships, most significantly with the long suffering middle classes, his reforms and proposals have been met with mixed scepticism. More so since they come so close to an election. Yet, in his very niche-oriented Budget presentation, he has struck a chord with the hearts of those who needed to be taken care of. There has been clearly a success in bringing back many of the lost sheep.
Now, by stating that he is committed to a reshuffle after the national election, Lawrence Gonzi has addressed his main concern: his constituency. He may have – and this is not substantiated by the rather untruthful comments by his ministers as reported in today’s issue of MaltaToday – ruffled the feathers of all his ministers. But he has transmitted a message to the electorate that if he is elected he will have a brand new team.
Which brings us to the new the faces in the administration. Will he bring back some ageing stallions to his Cabinet? Or will he surround himself with young and upcoming parliamentarians who are formatted in his new ways?
The latter seems to be his vision of the way things should evolve in a future Gonzi administration. It has to be seen how far he is willing to go.
As in all things, the Gonzi years have been rather difficult to predict. Is he a slave to destiny?
Or is he someone who carefully maps out his political vision and his choice of lieutenants? Lawrence Gonzi is slowly turning out to be that lonely visionary who plots his political future and is possibly grossly underestimated. Only time will tell how far success will take him.