Gonzi without a majority

Despite losing his majority in Parliament, in the most unmistakeable way, Lawrence Gonzi says that he wants to take government through the full legislature. On several occasions, Gonzi has put his party before his country. Now he is putting himself before the party. His obsession to cling to power has made a mockery of the Maltese Parliament.

 Lawrence Gonzi is obsessed with clinging to power. He would not like to go down in history as the shortest serving Nationalist Party leader. Truthfully, nobody expected Gonzi to be such a person when he was elected as leader of the PN. People had high hopes that Lawrence Gonzi would be an honest moderate leader who would have the interests of the country at heart. Unfortunately, he has let most people down. He has let his country down and now he is even letting his party down. He has said that a government should serve for a full legislature, but he did not do that when voting against the Sant government. Gonzi must know that this charade is creating instability and uncertainty. His ego, however, comes before the interests of the country.

 Jeffrey Pullicino has now resigned from the PN. Few people believe that Gonzi can convince the two dissident MPs to vote for the government in Parliament. Franco Debono and Jesmond Mugliett have both accused GonziPN of undemocratic politics. Franco Debono has been explicit -  he “will not support the Nationalist Government in the coming budget.” Gonzi has been warned that JPO expects to be consulted by the government should the government need his vote in parliament on certain issues. Is this the way that the Prime Minister provides leadership and stability for the country?

Gonzi is only stretching the life of his failed government. He has ‘prostituted’ his party and his government to remain in power. The government no longer bothers about our deficit, our enormous debt, about the high inflation or about the quality of life of the people. This is not the Gonzi people expected. Lawrence Gonzi should choose an honourable way out – call an early election to put an end to the instability that he has put the country in.