Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 1, 2017 17:34:17 GMT
An election has just been announced for Saturday 3rd June. The Labour Party have a big majority by Maltese standards, but are mired in a corruption scandal. The opposition PN have a pre-election coalition deal with the new Democratic Party (led by an MP elected on the Labour ticket). A further deal with the Green Party fell through due to disagreement over coalition branding. Polling suggests a Labour victory is likely, but with a reduced majority.
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Post by Deleted on May 2, 2017 1:15:37 GMT
The Labour government had a lot of their shenanigans exposed through the Panama Papers scandal. The Democrats were founded last year by Labour defector Marlene Farrugia (50). She is a devout Catholic SoCon, green/anti-"reckless" development and anti-corruption (though no idea if she really is clean, few pols are on Malta..), and was a Nat back in the 90s. Her husband Godfrey Farrugia resigned as Labour whip on 29 April. The greenies in the Democratic Alternative are running independently. They use STV and have from 65 seats to as many as needed to create proportionality (currently 71). Meaning each of the 13 constituencies have at least 5 seats. The current parliament is: Labour 38 Nationalists 31 Democrats 1 (Farrugia) Independent 1 The 2013 map:  |
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Post by Deleted on May 2, 2017 5:10:43 GMT
The Labour government had a lot of their shenanigans exposed through the Panama Papers scandal. The Democrats were founded last year by Labour defector Marlene Farrugia (50). She is personally a devout Catholic SoCon, green/anti-"reckless" development and anti-corruption (though no idea if she really is clean, few pols are on Malta..), and was a Nat back in the 90s. Her husband Godfrey Farrugia resigned as Labour whip on 29 April. The greenies in the Democratic Alternative are running independently. They use STV and have from 65 seats to as many as needed to create proportionality (currently 71). Meaning each of the 13 constituencies have at least 5 seats. The current parliament is: Labour 38 Nationalists 31 Democrats 1 (Farrugia) Independent 1 The 2013 map: There's no suggestion of corruption re Farrugia. She is a devout Catholic, but also supported introduction of divorce and same-sex civil partnerships. She was married to a former Nationalist politician, Jeffrey Pullicino, who was involved in a planning scandal in 2008 (after they had split up). His expulsion from PN and subsequent support of Labour may have coloured her views of which is the more corrupt party. Farrugia and Pullicino have since divorced. She is not married to Godfrey Farrugia. They are partners and ust happen to share a surname. Godfrey Farrugia was the Labour Whip. He resigned his position prior to the election announcement in protest at the corruption scandals. |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 2, 2017 8:22:50 GMT
There's no suggestion of corruption re Farrugia. I am aware of that, it was a general caveat. Corruption fighters in high corruption countries aren't always as clean as they pretend to be. |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 2, 2017 14:40:57 GMT
There's no suggestion of corruption re Farrugia. I am aware of that, it was a general caveat. Corruption fighters in high corruption countries aren't always as clean as they pretend to be. I know, and you're right as a general point, but I do have specific knowledge in this particular case (although I wouldn't vouch for anybody). The key distinction in Malta is that there is a pattern of behaviour in the governing party (e.g. Embracing those expelled from the opposition due to corruption). Marlene Farrugia in particular had more to gain - if she were corrupt - by sitting quietly on government benches and accepting paid government work (which is what just backbenchers have done over the past 4 years). As it stands, she is likely to end up well away from the levers of power (and therefore corruption). |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 3, 2017 21:20:56 GMT
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Post by Deleted on May 13, 2017 2:27:26 GMT
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Post by Old Fashioned Leftie on May 15, 2017 10:57:01 GMT
This is what political rallies look like in Malta (Labour above; Nationalist/Democratic Coalition below); Corbyn has some work to do:   This is true, but rather less work than our "strong and stable" leader! |
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john07
Labour & Co-operative
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Post by john07 on May 19, 2017 0:35:05 GMT
This is true, but rather less work than our "strong and stable" leader! Can't imagine what you're on about... No wonder the crowds are low, that is the 'Remain' campaign bus! |
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Foggy
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Yn Ennill Yma
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Post by Foggy on May 31, 2017 4:43:10 GMT
I wouldn't read much into that. I don't suppose an endorsement of Mrs May from Sir John Major will be forthcoming during the remainder of the campaign here either. |
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The Bishop
Labour
Down With Factionalism!
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Post by The Bishop on May 31, 2017 10:03:10 GMT
Its more who he has endorsed in this case, I think.
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Post by Ghyl Tarvoke on Jun 1, 2017 16:57:31 GMT
An interesting thing to note here is while (should the MLP retain office, as is likely) Muscat will be a major figure in the Brexit negotiations, he actually campaigned against Maltese EU membership in the referendum on this issue back in 2003.
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Georg Ebner
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Roman romantic reactionary Catholic
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Post by Georg Ebner on Jun 3, 2017 19:24:56 GMT
At 14.00 TurnOut stood at 52.3%, ~3% higher than 2013.
Last time the participation was in PL-areas high, but in PN-ones extremely (for Maltese levels) low, so some might come back?
PollingStations close at 22.00 MET.
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Georg Ebner
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Post by Georg Ebner on Jun 3, 2017 21:50:21 GMT
Not only is Maltese a unique mixture of Arabisch and Italian with surprisingly many English words, also their CountingProcedure was copied from You!
As a result no results - it seems - are available so far, i saw pictures of PollingBoxes being still brought to the centres.
TurnOut seems to be slightly "lower", that's 92% instead of 93% last time.
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Georg Ebner
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Post by Georg Ebner on Jun 3, 2017 23:28:19 GMT
Not only is Maltese a unique mixture of Arabisch and Italian with surprisingly many English words, also their CountingProcedure was copied from You! As a result no results - it seems - are available so far, i saw pictures of PollingBoxes being still brought to the centres. TurnOut seems to be slightly "lower", that's 92% instead of 93% last time. The counting procedure is a hell of a lot more precise than that in the UK. Current indications on the ground are that PN are quite confident that they may have won. It seems it will be close. NB party data in malta tend to be extremely accurate. You are right: they have totally 1 CountingCentre!!! (What would be an idea for the UK...) At "Malta International" they write, that the (valid?) papers are collected, bound to 50-bundles and counted not before tomorrow at 10 a.m.!!! (I thought, that they are quite catholic?) But You report, that the parties do already know (partial) outcomes? |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 4, 2017 5:32:24 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jun 4, 2017 8:50:30 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jun 4, 2017 9:38:41 GMT
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Georg Ebner
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Post by Georg Ebner on Jun 4, 2017 10:56:44 GMT
34000 labour majority. Seems people were shy to admit they'd vote for a corrupt government so long as the economy was doing well. But the OpinionPolls hadn't predicted anything else than a ~5%-lead of Labour. |
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john07
Labour & Co-operative
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Post by john07 on Jun 5, 2017 0:36:31 GMT
34000 labour majority. Seems people were shy to admit they'd vote for a corrupt government so long as the economy was doing well. Maltese politics are incredibly tribal. I have known a few Maltese from both camps. I had a drink with a former postgraduate student who came over for a year to Edinburgh to study at Heriot-Watt. I asked him about his political affiliation and he confirmed he was a Nationalist. He added that had he lived in Scotland, he would been a Labour supporter. Indeed his uncle was a former Labour Councillor from Leith. In Malta Labour and the Nationalists form two 'laager'. It will take more than a dose of corruption and a couple of defections to break the power of tribal politics for most voters. |
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