Andrew Sciberras

I feel sorry for the Italian nation and its people after having suffered a natural disaster which has claimed dozens of lives. My sincere condolences and sympathy go out to the families and friends that have lost their loved ones, their homes and places of work. I hope that they will manage to pick up the pieces and move on and somehow find comfort and peace of mind if such things are possible. Yet, and I apologise for the offence that my following statement may imply given the circumstances, I am even more distraught by their choice of Premier.

The "people of freedom" are run by a lunatic. Mind you, I quite enjoy his blatant disrespect for protocol and his gaffes never cease to amuse but there is something about him that really and truly pisses me off. Perhaps it is because he is so full of himself and that he thinks he is some Roman deity strutting around Europe doing whatever pleases him. And just like Roman deities he believes that somehow the law does not apply to him - that he is above the law. And yet he manages "The people of freedom": a coalition of conservative neoliberals and (ex?) fascists.

Perhaps the reason I'm so flamed is because it is thanks to these kind of people that we now find ourselves in a global financial crisis and because these kind of people are more concerned with bashing gypsies and migrants in the name of national interests than with creating more jobs, equality and the fight against climate change. Yes, the Italians have a W. of their own, hell-bent on forging some whimsical self-glorifying legacy than with what really matters.

Also if the implications of this Euronews report turn out to be completely factual, I hope Berlusconi is given the impeachement and criminal trial he truly deserves. Of course he may draw a trick or two from W.'s magical book of immunities that saved his ass in the Hurricane Katrina tragedy. Then again, Berlusconi is so thoroughly versed in legal immunity he probably doesn't need to lift a finger, except unless he wants to look like a proper git just like in the photo above.

Newly appointed President Dr. George Abela is going to have a tough time tearing down the metaphorical Berlin Wall that splits Malta in half. Post-independence, national unity was and is always hard to come by. With no public enemy for the entire Maltese nation to vent about, (we) now tend to unite for all the wrong reasons such as in the fear and loathing of migrants. Otherwise the harsh political and social polarities that choke the country on a daily basis still endure.

I cannot fathom any modern nation in the world where unity reigns supreme. That would either be a utopia or a very dull place to live in. Yet the Maltese divide falls on the most petty things. This may be the direct result of ignorance but I feel that we are all to blame, ignorant or not. Some may even go as far as to suggest that petty division is embedded in the Mediterranean genome...you know the enmity between rival band clubs, football supporters and what not.

Yet it is a very admirable gesture on President Abela's behalf to build his presidency on 'unity in diversity'. Give or take the few who are not fond of him for personal and/or political reasons I think many of us agree that he is the right man for the job. Almost one year ago, when the leadership campaign for the Labour Party was in full swing, I did not support George Abela because I felt he was too moderate and a tad bit conservative to lead a party on the left of the political spectrum. But a committed moderate is what we need to take the country in the direction of unity.

The newly elected president has a long and winding road ahead of him and I wish him the very best. The problem is - does the Presidency have the potential to bring about such a change?

It is at times like these when I'm proud to be a progressive.

"The Socialists, Greens, Communists and Liberals formed a majority to support granting immigrants the opportunity to vote in local elections." (MEPs seek voting rights for immigrants)

The Socialists, Greens, Communists and Liberals should unite more often. Well done.