Andrew Sciberras

Despite the obligation of "creating an ever closer of union among the peoples of Europe" and the Community objective to "strengthen the protection of the rights and interests of the nationals of its Member States through the introduction of a citizenship of the Union" as set out by the Maastricth Treaty, the Maltese authorities still struck off a thousand eligible voters off the electoral register. Perhaps giving EU nationals the right to vote is a red line issue as well?

It is good news that the Australian Labour government has finally recognized that de facto same sex couples should have the same rights as de facto opposite-sex couples. In essence the legislative reform states a gay couple is no different than a heterosexual couple. Unfortunately Kevin Rudd falls short of recognizing same-sex marriages. Nonetheless it is a big step in the right direction.

MEP Simon Busuttil is right when he states that “In Malta the Labour Party shuns immigration and plays the veto card, but in Brussels the Socialists play a different tune and want to give migrants voting rights.” In any case, I am glad that migrants, living in the EU for five years are to be given the right of free movement and to participate in the democratic process, albeit in local elections.

The Labour Party would have emerged a true winner if it had the decency to adopt a policy on immigration that clearly stresses the democratic and humanist politic of migration, such as the recognition that migrants do have a dynamic role to play in Europe, the need for integration and the spirit of a welcoming environment plus the right for democratic participation. At the same time it could have made the very reasonable emphasis that "integration is very much a two-way process, and also requires adjustments on behalf of the population of the host state"whilst emphasising also on the need for solidarity at a European and global level.

Instead it chose to play to irrational sentiments of alarm and panic whilst hiding under that awful notion we all know as "the national interest" to garner a vote or two from disillusioned hardcore nationalists and those who unfortunately believe that migrants are coming to destroy Malta. Whilst it could prove to be an ingenious move in terms of political strategy, the end result is that it is completely out of synch with European progressives and socialism in general on this issue.

EDIT: Labour MEPs did in fact vote against the 'right to vote' clause which admittedly proves the party's consistency on the issue. I wonder if they knew however that the right to vote was not vis-a-vis illegal immigrants but legal migrants such as refugees. The sad matter is that it baffles me as to why they are in the PES. Their actions give the impression that a European progressive majority is a threat to Malta.