Eddie Fenech Adami’s ‘Tal-Barrani’ meeting (1986) is emblematic of Malta’s division along what appears to be a Labour south and a Nationalist north. Understanding how the voters from the North and South became tied to the two parties, and their migration patterns across the island, is key to understanding these local political allegiances.
Politics
Clyde Marx? Was the budget as socialist as he described?
The 2023 budget strengthens the welfare state with 60% of the measures listed in the speech could be considered “socialist”. However, this form of social protection will have challenges in the future such as ageing population which will require a rethink of the system. In the post-Muscat era, the Labour Party is actively trying to re-associate itself with its socialist...
A reasonable budget amidst a global energy crisis
Amid the economic turmoil and geopolitical tensions across Europe, Finance Minister Caruana unveiled the government’s budget for 2023. Broadly speaking, the budget is similar to recent ones presented by the Labour government. A common narrative of new taxes and an increase in a number of benefits to curb the effects of looming crises, as well as robust one-off measures to...
How Gorbachev & Bush ended the cold war in the Malta Summit.
This article is part of an ongoing collaborative series by Spunt.mt and Lovin Malta. The 1945 Yalta conference marked the beginning of the Cold War, a 40+ year period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union, and their respective allies. Winds of change were sweeping through Soviet states by 1989, culminating in the fall of the...
Why the French election matters
Last weekend, France held the first out of two election rounds. Placing themselves in the top two spots, Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen passed through for the second round, where they will now go head to head. Macron’s vision The winner of the first round was Emmanuel Macron, a pro-European centrist who became the youngest ever president in 2017....
Which party benefits from a low turnout?
Silent Day is upon us so all that is left for us to do is analyse the numbers we may be getting next Sunday. We will start this analysis by taking a look at what the surveys are saying. The main takeaway points we have to look at to answer our question are: 1. there is no shift of voters...
Here is why you should go vote. Revisiting the arguments of the disillusioned voter.
Admittedly, this post is hard to write. There are many angles to take on the subject and from the offset, we acknowledge that this post may not cover every conundrum out there. Nonetheless, we will attempt to provide solutions and revisit some arguments that disgruntled voters or a casual abstainer may present. We believe that voting is a civic duty....
GUEST POST – If you think Maltese politics is hopeless, read this:
The current state of Maltese politics may have left you thinking “Is this the best we can do?” PN and Labour, which have taken turns ruling Malta for the last 90 years, are now seen by many as almost indistinguishable from each other. For some, this means that they are tainted with responsibility for environmental destruction and corruption. As the...
Assessing the PL’s strategy of launching its manifesto halfway through the election campaign
The PN is currently claiming that the PL was unprepared for the 2022 election, on the basis that it has not yet launched its manifesto. However, when analysing the last two general elections, one could conclude that this may not be a case of unpreparedness. Rather, it probably boils down to the PL’s choice of strategy. The 2013 general election...
Volt’s proposal to raise the minimum wage to €1,100 per month. An Analysis
Raising the minimum wage by such an amount would likely result in a wage increase across the board, giving rise to increasing costs to the private sector which would experience higher costs of production. Volt Malta, a new Pan-European political party contesting the 2022 elections is proposing a minimum wage increase to €1,100 per month over a three-year period to...
The European Army and Malta’s Neutrality
The strong drive for further cohesion within the EU is undeniable. What started out as an economic union is gradually consolidating itself as a European political union. And as part of this political unity, European Commission President Ursula von Der Leyen has revived talks for a common defence system through the setting up of a European army. The message is...
Should Malta join NATO?
Even though Malta is not a full member of NATO, it has nonetheless been a member of NATO’s Partnership for Peace programme since 1995, 9 years before Malta’s accession to the EU. Malta is also a member of the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC), which is a diplomatic forum focusing on the Euro-Atlantic area. Malta is also a member of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, which addresses a range of security concerns such as arms control, confidence and security-building measures.