Grech’s autopsy: Brutal honesty or self-preservation?
Bernard Grech has clearly warned that in the absence of a radical restructuring of the party’s finances, the party does not even have the necessary liquidity to contest the upcoming European and local elections. Not only is the party owed € 32 million but the party media is also losing thousands of euros every month.
His strong warning is that in the absence of very tough decisions the “existence” of the party will be at stake. In his speech, Grech hinted that the solution lies in the sale of party assets, ie his political clubs.
Grech’s poisoned chalice
But while his speech was refreshingly honest to give a more accurate picture of party finances to party councilors, something that was never done by anyone before him, the message was sent. was that at this critical stage the party “cannot afford to create more divisions in a party. which was already broken. ” In this sense, Grech seems eager to discourage any internal challenge by presenting a poisoned chalice to each contestant.
He also presents his choice to remain stuck as a leader, despite the electoral drum, as a cross that he is ready to carry so that his party can take the tough decisions that had to be taken years ago. In short, according to Grech, the party is too sick to withstand another factional fighting attack. And by hanging, he is placing himself on the altar of sacrifice, assuming responsibility for a decision that is bound to hurt. It would be hard for anyone to argue with that. In fact, those who contest against Grech risk being portrayed as an upstart wannabe more interested in futile glory than in the best interests of the party.
That is why he told the councilors “that the reason why he is still here is to offer the best possible result in a difficult situation” and that while he has “no divine right” to lead the PN, he does not time for another “upset” in the party. In short: ‘either more chaos or me’. And this statement cannot be far from over
the truth.
Aim for the low hanging fruit
But in an effort to neutralize the perception that he is simply sticking to power, Grech is giving himself a point of reference by committing himself to submitting his leadership to another vote if he fails to elect a third MEP in the by-elections. MEPs coming in 2024.
And smartly, Grech linked his future to the low fruit, winning the third seat that the PN had won under Busuttil in 2014 despite losing by a margin of 34,000 votes.
This raises the possibility that Grech will remain at the helm in the absence of any substantial reduction in the gap between the two parties in elections where the country’s government is not even at risk.
The Metsola factor
Grech could even benefit from the ‘Metsola’ factor, which could facilitate the achievement of this limited target. With her current status as president of the EU parliament, Metsola could well be rewarded with a vote of public appreciation even among independent and mid-term voters, some of whom probably abstained. in the last general election.
And its presence on the PN list is bound to increase turnout among voters leaning towards the PN who would otherwise stay home or vote for a third party. The likelihood of the party winning back the third seat increases if these voters continue to vote for the other PN candidates on the list as well. Therefore, comparing Metsola with promising new candidates not tainted by the party’s toxic past will be crucial for the party to win a third seat. G[alriskjuwie[edhulipartita’votantita’Metsolamajittrasferixxuxil-vottag[homlilkandidatio[ratal-PN.
B’mod pervers, xi votanti tal-PN jistgħu jivvutaw bil-bosta lil Metsola bit-tama li terġa’ lura Malta bħala l-‘messija’ tal-partit – biex tispiċċa biex issaħħaħ it-tmexxija ta’ Grech. Għax wara li kisbet l-elezzjoni tagħha għall-PE, Metsola x’aktarx tkun aktar interessata f’konferma possibbli fil-kariga preżenti tagħha milli tieħu f’idejha partit bi prospetti ta’ suċċess ħażin.
F’dan is-sens Grech qed jorbot bil-għaġla l-futur tiegħu ma’ elezzjoni fejn Roberta Metsola tkun l-akbar assi tal-partit iżda mingħajr ma tkun ta’ theddida għal Grech. Fil-fatt, iktar ma tattira voti lejn il-partit, iktar iħossu Grech fis-sigurtà fil-pożizzjoni tiegħu ta’ mexxej. Dan ma jwaqqafx l-ispekulazzjonijiet dwar l-ambizzjonijiet futuri ta’ Metsola. Fil-fatt, Metsola tista’ tkun qed tagħmel il-kalkolu li l-aqwa ċansijiet tagħha lokalment ikunu li tieħu f’idejha t-tmexxija tal-partit meta dan ikollu ċans reali li jirbaħ, jiġifieri wara li l-problemi finanzjarji tal-partit jiġu solvuti u d-distakk jonqos f’dak li jmiss. elezzjoni ġenerali.
Insomma Grech xorta jista’ jwitti t-triq
biex Metsola ssir Prim Ministru fl-2032.
Iżda dan jiddependi mill-partit li jnaqqas id-distakk fl-2027 billi jerġa’ jaqbad l-immaġinazzjoni tal-votanti u jippreżenta ruħu bħala gvern li qed jistenna. Fil-fatt, prestazzjoni mtejba fl-elezzjonijiet tal-MPE tista’ tagħti lill-partit sens falz ta’ sigurtà. Għax biex inaqqas id-distakk f’elezzjoni ġenerali Grech innifsu jeħtieġ juri li għandu l-profondità, il-kariżma u l-viżjoni li jdawwar l-affarijiet, kwalitajiet li kien nieqes fl-aħħar elezzjoni ġenerali.
Fejn hi l-viżjoni?
Iżda fid-diskors tiegħu lill-kunsilliera, Grech naqas milli jispjega xi ħaġa qrib viżjoni politika, li tista’ terġa’ tgħaqqad il-blokk differenti ta’ votanti aħseb u ara jirbaħ fuq votanti ġodda. Minflok, id-diskors importanti ta’ Grech kien mgħotti b’aħbarijiet paralleli li l-id il-leminija tiegħu Ray Bezzina, issa kien qed jingħaqad mad-DB Group – l-iżviluppaturi wara l-ħtif tal-art tal-ITS f’Pembroke – bħala direttur. Dan inevitabilment qajjem tħassib dwar il-bibien li jduru u r-rabtiet tal-partit ma’ grupp kummerċjali, li l-partit kien ikkritika fil-passat bħala wieħed mill-benefiċjarji tal-politika tal-Labour dwar l-użu tal-art; din it-tip ta’ a[barlitivvalidal-astensjonifl-elezzjonijiet.
Lanqas Grech ma ta xi indikazzjoni dwar direzzjoni politika futura. Grech għandu raġun jgħid li l-votanti ma jistgħux jafdaw lill-partit bil-finanzi tal-pajjiż jekk lanqas biss jista’ jieħu ħsieb il-finanzi tiegħu stess, u li l-votanti jwarrbu l-proposti tal-partit għax jaħsbu li l-partit mhux f’pożizzjoni li jimplimentahom.
Iżda dan ma jispjegax bis-sħiħ l-iskonnessjoni tal-partit ma’ kategoriji differenti ta’ votanti li jvarjaw minn ultra konservattivi li jaħarbu minn kull sinjal li l-partit miexi maż-żminijiet sa votanti żgħażagħ edukati aktar liberali li jħossu li l-partit huwa kompletament skonnettjat mill-valuri u l-aspirazzjonijiet tagħhom.
Minflok Grech jidher li jpoġġi t-tamiet tiegħu f’frontbench parlamentari rejuvened li jista’ jkun ewlieni għal kull rkupru speċjalment jekk il-Membri Parlamentari jieqfu jisparaw minn fuq il-ġenbejn u joperaw fi ħdan strateġija. Għandu raġun jgħid ukoll li s-sostenibbiltà hija prekwiżit għal partit li jiffoka fuq it-tfassil tal-politika. Iżda strateġija teħtieġ ukoll li tkun ibbażata fuq viżjoni ġenerali.
Minflok Grech ippreżenta lilu nnifsu bħala maniġer bi ħsieb li “jagħmlu” s-siġra tal-partit biex tkun żgurata s-sopravivenza tagħha stess. Għax filwaqt li Grech għandu raġun jgħid li biex jiffoka fuq il-politika l-partit jeħtieġ li l-ewwel ikun sostenibbli, il-partit jeħtieġ iddisprat isib raison d’etre.
Bil-Labour jirripożizzjona ruħu bħala partit liberali ċentrist, big tent, il-PN jibqa’ diżorjentat u mhux kapaċi jaqdi l-aspirazzjonijiet ta’ kategoriji differenti ta’ votanti li għandhom valuri differenti u jirreaġixxu b’mod differenti għall-bidliet soċjali, demografiċi u ekonomiċi kbar li qed iseħħu taħt il-Labour. Għax il-PN qed jiffaċċja problemi eżistenzjali li baqgħu mhux solvuti minn mindu l-partit mexxa lil Malta fl-Unjoni Ewropea. U jista’ jkun li l-iskonnessjoni ideoloġika tal-partit hija theddida kbira għall-eżistenza stess tal-partit, daqs id-djun dejjem jiżdiedu tiegħu.