You're either with us or against us, it's that simple!

Abstract

'Politics' here in Malta and Gozo is the closest we can get to a 'collective craving', a phenomenon that the citizens on these islands seem to savour and cannot live without. It is a love-hate relationship that we seem to encompass with politicians and political parties alike. At the pjazza, as we go along, at the cafe during our lunch break, politics always tops the agenda. Not only that, we want them involved in everything that happens in our lives; from baptism ceremonies to the opening of the new kazin and anything in between. The pretty thing about all of this is that one and all seem to have an opinion on all that is happening in the country to the extent that everyone feels they can be Prime Minister for much more than a day! Why we remain so affianced with this phenomenon is baffling, especially considering that on the one hand the electorate participates in droves during every ballot but on the other, the Eurobarometer (Autumn 2014) findings indicate that politicians enjoy very little confidence; in fact, only 51 % of those interviewed trust the Maltese Parliament and 24% the political parties.