Meanwhile, another party has a ‘new’ leader

Published: June 12, 2008 at 3:45am

Harry Vassallo has resigned and Arnold Cassola has stepped into the chairmanship of Alternattiva Demokratika. That should pull in the youth vote, especially if he keeps turning up to events dressed like somebody’s elderly bachelor uncle who’s off fishing. Why don’t they just call it a day?

I wonder what Harry’s going to do now.




8 Comments Comment

  1. Meerkat :) says:

    Fill in his vat forms perhaps?

  2. Edric Micallef Figallo says:

    I remember that after a friend of mine wrote on The Times of Malta stating that Alternattiva Demokratika had Marxist/Communist ties, Harry Vassallo rushed in to reply and exclaiming that legal action would have been taken. No action has been taken by the way, years have now passed.

    What will Harry Vassallo et al say now, that they have as leader a man who was candidate in Italy with a grouping of parties whose candidate “presidente” is none other than unrepentant comunista Fausto Bertinotti?

    The future for Alternattiva Demokratika seems bleak, MLP’s Muscat will probably take out that part of their vote that isn’t a protest vote, with PN trying harder than ever to recoup the disgruntled voters that actually voted AD. MLP’s potential course might have been indicated in an article on one of the de facto Labourite papers that indicated that the last electoral loss could have resulted due to the split of the “progressive” vote between MLP and AD. If I held such vote, I wouldn’t vote AD and “invest” it in MLP. The damning report issued by MLP itself basically calls for MLP to attract leftist liberals, Greens-Environmentalists and similar. Last election proved that de facto voting for minor parties is electorally without substantial results. The political situation was ripe with possibilities for third parties, next coming election it will probably not be so. Perhaps it is time for AD to revert to a pressure group?

  3. Kev says:

    @ Edric Micallef Figolla – Ooooooooh, Fausto Bertinotti, ey?!

    I’m sure your amici on the other side of the spectrum feel your concerns, but there is nothing for the Italian communists to be repentant about. For decades they were excluded from the pentapartito oligarchy which ended up in manipulative style.

    I would say that Bertinotti is a man of principle and does not need to repent on the Soviets’ behalf.

    Insomma, Ederik, come va La Patria ormai?

  4. mel says:

    I don’t understand. I am a floater and am trying very hard to unerstand nationalists… but I can’t! First Joseph Muscat is too young and I’m better off voting Gonzi cause he’s older… but then again Arnold Cassola is too old (even though Dr. Gonzi is older).
    Then JM’s tie is too shiny and colourful for our tastes, better vote for Gonzi since his tie is more conservative. And now you are telling me I shouldn’t vote for Arnold Cassola because his clothes look like fishing gear.
    And yes I was told by a VERY VERY VERY (emphasised because he is VERY) diehard nationalist that its OK to be a floater (said as if he was talking to a very silly girl who was complaining because her nail had just broken) but I should settle down and be loyal to a party! Moreover I have heard floaters being compared to faeces since both float.
    I think Nationalists should start to be less condescending when talking to people with different political views. We all think that what we think is best but that doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t see the good in other views. I may not know a lot of Laborites but those I know never insulted me and they always acknowledged when their party did wrong.
    For me, as an outsider to the political fanaticism going on in Malta, Malta appears as being made up of two main groups: The nationalists who are arrogant and condescending and the laborites who are disorganised (yes that is true) but quite kind.
    I guess if things stay the same I know exactly who I am going to vote for in the next election.

  5. Edric Micallef Figallo says:

    Surely Kevin, you cannot bother deny my main point can you? Of course not, for you cannot.

    Defending the communists are we? You can do that, however my point was on AD, Cassola, Vassallo and certain political associations which the former AD leader sought denied but which the current choice for leader can only confirm.

    Bertinotti a man of principle, I don’t even discuss that for I never denied it for I have no interest in even trying. Bertinotti recently even went to the national conference of Azione Giovani, the youth movement of Alleanza Nazionale.

    I merely disagree with Bertinotti, he certainly isn’t like one of his historical predecessors Togliatti whom is known to not have interceded with his friend Soviet Stalin to save the lives of tens of thousands of Italian prisoners of war whom never returned home after armistice and peace were concluded. Communists excluded from government? Oh, what a tragedy. They didn’t even make it to parliament now, same with Cassola whose returned to serve us in Malta.

    I’m not sure about what you hold, if you are not the Kevin I know, care to enlighten me about what you hold through my email [email protected].

    For courtesy’s sake, don’t clutter this page with irrelevant material. This message is about Alternattiva Demokratika and the reference to Bertinotti and his red comrades was in reference to Alternattiva Demokratika, unlike your post in defence of your red comrades per se. I shall not reply to you here unless you write in reference to Alternattiva Demokratika and their undeniable links.

    La patria và alla grande, PN al governo a Malta, in Italia il centrodestra, comunisti e verdi fuori dal parlamento, e Roma presa alla sinistra. Ah sì, abbiamo il terzo “partito” nel parlamento maltese, cortesia di Joseph Muscat (e manco lo voleva!) Benissimo, deve andare meglio.

    Kev, are you Kevin Saliba?

  6. Daphne Caruana Galizia says:

    Mel, if you don’t know many Labour supporters, how do you know they are disorganised but quite kind? Labour supporters are not a race of people who share the same characteristics, for better or worse. Nor are Nationalist supporters. And I’m not surprised your older friend spoke patronisingly to you, if you are think in terms of making your decision on how to vote based on how kind a party’s supporters are, rather than on what that party’s policies and abilities are.

  7. mel says:

    @ Daphne
    My friend was not older than me, and he is one of those who gave me the impression of being happy that the PN won just because he then had another reason to get drunk and meet up with drunk girls.
    I may not know a lot of labour supporters but i do know some and none of them ever insulted me. And I meant that the party is disorganised (the party is made up of people you know), I’m sorry if I wasn’t understandable.
    The party’s supporters are supposed to have the same ideology as their leaders and as such their behaviour reflects the party’s itself. If most PN supporters are condescending and arrogant, I can then assume that the party is condescending and arrogant.
    I chose whom to vote for because of the party’s policies, and that being said I neihtervoted for PN nor for MLP since I liked neihter of their policies.

  8. V says:

    @ Mel..
    Are you sure you’re choosing to vote for the best policies.. or for the best supporters?!!! mm taking time to think would be the best option here :)

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