UPDATED AT 1030HRS: Now do you believe me when I say the man is nuts?
With a bit of luck, this nut will bolt
I really hate having to say ‘I told you so’, but there you go.
I expect you saw Franco Debono on TVM’s eight o’clock news, behaving like somebody who should be gently removed by some men in white.
Those of you who didn’t, try and get a video clip.
PBS reporters turned up at Franco Debono’s house at his request. They thought – of course – that he would wish to be interviewed about his antics today.
Instead, he left them, and probably the entire eight o’clock news audience, totally gobsmacked by showing them his St Aloysius College report cards and insisting that they film them. They did so, with alacrity, because it’s not everyday that you get a story like that: an MP actually asking a news crew to put on record the fact that he’s out to lunch.
As for the rest of the day’s events (apologies for posting this so late, but I’ve been out all day), what can I say except ‘I told you so’ again and that Franco Debono’s mask is finally off?
On 29 December, in my column in The Malta Independent, I wrote that Debono’s campaign to split the justice/interior portfolio was just the means to his end of becoming justice minister.
I wrote that the portfolio should not be split unless the prime minister was prepared to deal with the consequences of Debono’s rage at refusing to give him the justice portfolio, or the consequences of looking like a fool by giving it to him.
The prime minister has chosen the former option, leaving Debono unmasked as a self-seeking nutjob but leaving himself with some very difficult decisions, and the rest of us with the consequences of those decisions.
My main point in that December column was that Debono’s ultimate aim is not even the justice ministry. It is the party leadership.
Stop. Don’t laugh.
I think I have read his personality and his motivation correctly. You laugh because you measure him and this statement by the yardstick of normality.
But Franco Debono is not normal, and tonight’s business with the school report cards and a TV news crew summoned to film them will have shown you that, as will his hysterical scenes when he discovered that all his efforts to split the justice/interior portfolio were in vain because the job went to somebody else.
It is precisely because of this that his first reaction to the cabinet reshuffle news was to call for the prime minister’s resignation and to withdraw his support for the goverment, which effectively means – unless he gets his act together – that a general election will have to be called.
The prime minister said on television tonight that he does not want to call a general election, and that the country does not need that level of turmoil at this point.
He also said, in a sarcastic aside, that it seems Joseph Muscat is already choosing the curtains for his new office.
Gonzi was really quite good on television a couple of hours ago, nothing like what I expected. It was so cathartic to see that he has finally drawn the line with that jerk, and good too to hear him say that he will not make the same mistake that Sant did with Mintoff.
From now until the general election, whenever it might be, we are going to see Franco Debono make a sustained attempt at repeating what he did with the justice/interior ministry, this time with the party leadership.
He is going to try to force the resignation or removal of Lawrence Gonzi and put himself forward as an alternative.
This might seem cracked to you and me, because it is, but to him it is a real plan and strategy, and he believes that today’s events have actually brought him closer to his ultimate goal of becoming a party leader like his rival classmate, Joseph Muscat.
Because ultimately, this is what it is all about.
When Debono was elected in 2008, he made a huge fuss because he had unseated Louis Galea and was the youngest MP. He was one up on Joseph Muscat, who had earlier become an MEP.
But then disaster struck Debono’s ego out of the blue when Joseph Muscat returned to Malta just a few months later to become Leader of the Opposition.
From then on, Franco Debono has been driven by his demons to become a party leader or at least a minister before Joseph Muscat becomes prime minister.
The reality is that for three and a half years, the entire country has been held hostage to the classroom rivalry Debono still feels against Muscat.
Hence his summoning of the TVM cameras to film his report cards this evening, when he cracked under the stress of knowing that he would not be made justice minister. It all goes back to those days. ‘This is who I am,’ he told the astonished TV reporter, proferring his report cards.
Franco Debono’s tragedy, which is going to be this country’s tragedy, is that his actions are going to undo his goals completely. They are going to make Joseph Muscat prime minister and him an utter nobody, not even an MP because he won’t be selected as a party candidate at the next general election.
Debono has played a zero sum game and lost, making his schoolboy rival the winner who takes all.
The Nationalist Party cannot win an election that is held now. If it comes to that, Franco Debono has made Joseph Muscat prime minister, and himself a political nothing.
I hope for his sake that his very fragile personality can withstand the full force of the nation’s disgust.
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Spot on!
Though other constitutional options should be explored rather than an election as it is not justified to hold an election now just because an idiot woke up and said so.
Franco Debono’s personality isn’t fragile. It’s his self-esteem that’s fragile. It’s typical of those with a narcissistic personality disorder.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/narcissistic-personality-disorder/DS00652
“Narcissistic personality disorder is a mental disorder in which people have an inflated sense of their own importance and a deep need for admiration.
Those with narcissistic personality disorder believe that they’re superior to others and have little regard for other people’s feelings. But behind this mask of ultra-confidence lies a fragile self-esteem, vulnerable to the slightest criticism.”
Spot on!
If one has a narcissitic personality disorder, then irrespective of the nature of that personality that personality (sorry!) has a disorder.
And anythng that suffers from a disorder is, by definition, weak, and therefore fragile.
Debono’s personality is very firmly intact. Despite all evidence to the contrary, he still believes he’s right to behave as he does.
Narcissism is one of the most difficult disorders to treat because narcissists value their own opinions above everyone else’s and reject the criticism that could provide them with insight.
Narcissists, in other words, are very resistant to change even though their self-esteem is fragile.
Thanks. Just found out that 90% of the Maltese have a narcissistic personality disorder.
I’m clutching at straws here, but is it possible for the Prime Minister not to call an election? Is it possible to spend a year not passing any laws and hoping Franco will be admitted afore long?
I can just picture him as a youngster telling his parents “jump” and they replying “how high ?”
He just can’t accept being told “no”.
Unbelievable.
Daphne, you were 100% right.
The Debono ego is now so out of control, it is downright dangerous to the public at large.
The sad thing is that all Malta will now have to face the sad consequences of Debono’s actions.
How very short-sighted of him, to create such an upheaval for Malta, when we have been doing fine so far, despite the economic turmoil in the rest of the civilised world.
A famous President once said “Ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country”
Franco Debono apparently doesn’t subscribe to this reasoning. Shame on him, a spoilt mama’s boy.
Ask not what your country can do for you but how you can do your country in.
The same president once infamously said “Ich bin eine hamburger”. Franco Debono can instead claim that he’s one hell of a prick.
It was “Ich bin ein Berliner”. He meant to say he identified with people from Berlin, but called himself a sausage instead.
President Kennedy’s actual words when addressing the people of Berlin were ““Ich bin eine berliner”. which translates to “I am a doughnut”. TIME and NEWSWEEK reported a tremendous reaction from the crowd – but did not go on to say why.
We now have to see Joseph Muscat’s report cards.
This way we will see who had the better results at school – he or Franco.
Was there a subject called narcissism back then at school? They would probably both have scored 100 marks.
Are prisoners allowed to drink champagne in Brussels?
We never saw Mintoff’s report cards in 1998 when he destabilised the Sant government. Why did Franco have to show us his?
Because he has more of a mental problem than Mintoff.
I don’t think that is possible.
Maybe we should be thankful that he’s not showing us that he’s … you know … more of a man.
Do you mean the linfa, Grezz? Manu Maltes had commented favourably on its size.
Evidently, the day Franco received his 1987 mid-year school report card was, and remains, the high point of his life.
Why show a ‘mid-term’ report card? Was it his best report card he received throughout his school years?
Best that he emigrates to Italy now.
One good thing for Joseph is that because of Franco, you turned the gun on Franco and left Joseph in peace for a while :))
Not even JPO at his most hysterical thought of parading his school reports on the state television news bulletin.
What an unbalanced berk, and a dangerous one too.
Can an MP be removed if found to be mentally ill?
[Daphne – There’s something about that in the Constitution. I don’t have time to look it up right now and quote chapter and verse, but you can find it on line.]
Vincent the chapter and verse, as it were, is Article 55 (1) (g) and (2) of the Constitution. You can click here for the Constitution: http://www.mjha.gov.mt/DownloadDocument.aspx?app=lom&itemid=8566
However, it is very much a case of who will have him adjudged of unsound mind and who will adjuge him to be so. That is the thorny matter.
A Parliamentary Comittee established for the purpose assisted by experts in the field.
I doubt that a personality disorder would be enough to constitute unsound mind, even though by definition such a disorder results in a an inability to function within social norms.
Patients who are certified schizophrenics have been in fact adjudged to be of sound mind by courts, despite expert psychiatric advice to the contrary.
[Daphne – Yes, and the Norwegian mass murderer has just been assessed as sane.]
However there could be more to this, since while it is likely that Debono suffers from Narcissistic Personality Disorder, one cannot and should not exclude that he could be co morbidly or exclusively suffering from Bipolar Mood Disorder (aka manic depression) with the current episode being mania, since part of what we are seeing are delusions of grandeur.
I’m sure there is, but do you really expect something like that to be taken lying down?
I’m sure it will lead to uncertainty / protests that will push us even faster down the slippery slope I mentioned in the comment I made a few minutes ago.
The last thing Malta needs in 2012 is an election campaign, four months or so during which politicians have little option but to concentrate on getting (re)elected rather than on running the country.
Historians in the future may well point to this day as being the day Malta began to slide down the slippery slope to recession.
I was about to ask the same question. No doubt he will pass the mentally ill mark with flying colours.
I’ve always believed you when you said the man is nuts. I always assumed he was after the ministry.
However, I had never thought he was after the party leadership. Undoubtedly, however, you’re right.
Why otherwise would he press Gonzi to resign?
Nuts and bolts? It looks like the man really needs a good screw.
Why? He’s already f*cked up.
Funny you should say that. In my long and varied experience, backed up by years of field study, I have observed that a good lay is the best cure.
However, this Debono is already hitched, so we’re left with more than a hanging question.
How does one go about getting someone sectioned under the Mental Health Act?
“The Nationalist Party cannot win an election that is held now.” No? So when will it be able to win it?
After distributing the goodies to those who threaten not to vote?
After mustering all the propaganda machinery it can get its hand on?
After months of bombardment on Xarabank and Bondi+? The writing is on the wall: change is coming. And Amen to that.
[Daphne – Don’t be tedious, Albert. If you’re the sort of person to switch a leather bag for one made of plastic that smells of a 1970s Lilo, for the sake of change, I’m not.]
Prosit, Daphne, your blog made it on the PBS news as well, thanks to Franco Debono.
Report cards? Why would he keep them?
To persuade the prime minister that he should be appointed minister. And to show the world that he’s better than Joseph Muscat.
Today I confirmed a story I’d heard a few long weeks ago about Franco having gone to Eddie armed with his St Aloysius report cards and moaning that Joseph could become a prime minister whilst he (Franco Debono) will not even make a minister.
When I was told the story I have to admit I didn’t really believe him, but after today’s event I did.
This arsehole is one complete nutcase and yes, he will bring us closer to an election, which the PN will probably lose.
But remember, the Nationalist Party goes through fire to become even stronger, as it did in the 70s and 80s and PN will come out even stronger – and wiser – after this storm.
A storm brought about by a Class A-1 maniac but which will help PN show that in reality, there is presently no alternative to PN in the long run.
As I see things now, in the heat of the moment perhaps, I would not allow Arrigo, Jean-Pierre of Floriana and of course Franco to even come close to Pieta’, let alone ride on the party ticket.
A lesson to all, and once and for all. PN may well be in for a drubbing this time round, but so it did in 1996 and sure enough it was back leading this country after 23 months.
So a 40-year old man expects to be made minister on the grounds that he scored 100 in a religious doctrine exam when he was 12.
He’s not just nuts. He’s an entire plantation of coconut palms.
If Labour win the next election, the Maltese won’t know what hit them.
@Taks Fors
People are not afraid of a Labour government. They’re afraid of an incompetent government.
It’s not the survival of the Nationalist Party that matters most. It’s the survival of the context and mechanisms that enable growth and insulate us against man-made disasters.
The moaners and whingers who want a change are unable to say how a Labour government will be better. They only hope that it cannot be any worse.
And, in the meantime, everything grinds to a standstill because the prospect of change – despite what the ‘we want a changers’ say – is not necessarily positive.
When Labour was elected, EU membership was pushed back indefinitely, economic systems were disrupted, costs shot up and no one knew where they were going. The PN came back after 23 months but beyond that it’s taken years to recover.
Do we really need that all over again?
The reversal of the Cabinet double salary only goes to prove how down to earth politicians like Jean Pierre Farrugia are indispensible to rebuild the Nationalist Party.
It is with sadness that I have to agree with earlier comments that you were “Spot-On”. Unfortunately for all of us Debono’s tragedy is going to be this country’s tragedy, but I’d like to tell Albert Farrugia not to be too certain which way an election would go if called now, as the way I’m seeing things after today’s Xarabank interview, is that the Prime Minister evoked quite a lot of sympathy from this debacle.
Many will forget the trivia that Labour regularly dish out and will close ranks to show support for Gonzi if push came to shove.
“Morto Sansone ……..”
but
“tutti i Filistei?
Definitely NOT!
Dear Daphne,
I love your pieces whenever I have time to catch up, but I confess I find your occasional use of ‘chav’ to describe people as distastefully snobbish. Here’s one place though where the term can be applied with profound accuracy.
Just look at the little boy pouting and promising to bring the house down because his lolly wasn’t the right flavour.
Taking us into his house to prove his exquisitely refined upbringing including education though an elite (by then free) church school, we are to forget his humble, indeed insignificant ancestry as he has redeemed it with great deeds – set up his own law practice, became an MP etc. etc.
He is, unfortunately, the ultimate wannabe, out of his league and convinced he is genetically inferior to his peers; and as such he suspects they would like to cleanse the ‘ruling class’ (yes, he thinks in those terms) of the likes of him so he rebels and lashes out as all his efforts at redemption come to naught, sunk by his self deprecation.
As to whose problem it is, it’s Gonzi’s of course; you make the bed you lie in, so good luck. But a spoiled brat with a chip on his shoulder and obvious depression is a tall order to handle for the best of us.
Regards
Remember his Mum on Xarabank saying he had it his way about delivering that priedka tat’tifel? It wasn’t so easy this time, was it?
FRANCO MHUWIEX IL-BRAVU TAL-KLASSI.
Don’t count on the Government to fall any time soon.
I don’t believe that Joseph Muscat have enough big BOCCI to pull the plug.
Gonzi, by his actions, is trying to provoke Joseph Muscat to do just that. Unfortunately, I don’t think Joseph will bite; because he knows well that he won’t win the election if one was held now.
Il fatt li huwa stess qed jghid li hadem hafna u ma nafux minn xiex ghadda, juri li l bniedem qed jghix taht stess enormi.
Btala ohra l-Italja taghmillu gid. U din id darba jaqta biljett bla return.
Franco, bhal ma l-Laburisti meta jsemmu lil Mintoff jiftakru x ghamel lil Alfred Sant, int ser tibqa’ f’mohhna bhala traditur.
Isthi.
IL-MANDAT BIEX IL-PN JIGGVERNA L-POPLU TAGHULU U MHUX FRANCO DEBONO.
Il-PN missu jitolbu jirrizenja mill-PN halli postu jintela’ min xi hadd li hu leali lejn il-Partit u li jahdem id f’id ma’ Dr Gonzi biex imexxi ‘l Malta f’dal-maltemp ekonomiku li hawn fid-dinja.
Intennilek: Isthi jekk taf, Franco. U ara ma jfettilekx tivvota kontra l-gvern, ghax int mhux qieghed fil-Parlament biex tivvota kif tahseb int, imma tirraprezenta lilna li vvutajnilek. Ghamilt xi laqgha mal-kostitwenti tieghek li vvutawlek u qalulek biex tivvota kontra l-gvern? Jekk le, mela oqghod kwiet u mur ghamel xoghlok sew fil-Parlament.
What about the u-turn on the ministerial salaries? What about the warning from the EU about the real deficit figures?
Before this volcano erupted, the real dilemma was whether PN will play the election card before or after the economic shxx hit the fan, i.e. if the economic situation started to worsen, Gonzi would call an early election.
Franco Debono has now elected himself as Mr Scapegoat, and done the PN a favour because an early election will be blamed on him.
On the other side of the chess board, as you rightly point out (but maybe wrongly assume it has been 100% premeditated), Franco Debono’s only hope is to topple the party leadership.
He might succeed if he does this by winning the right allies in these troubled times. After all if the PN goes down we can expect a reshuffle of the main party leadership roles.
[Daphne – He might succeed? Why, because there are a lot of people in the party who think he will make a great prime minister or that he doesn’t need care? Be real.]
I now realise that all that is happening was planned already and PN skillfully managed to get the timings right.
What I meant to say is that he might support another person to lead PN. Today’s statements saying he will support anyone but Gonzi. I know I’m speculating, but who knows what is going on behind the scenes.
Where is Dalli for example?
Agreed, one cannot be pushing forty and show his school report cards to prove some point. It’s sick.
The fact he chooses something he relates to his classmate within childhood makes evident what’s going on in his confused mind. He needs help.
There is no doubt Franco Debono is way out there and I actually feel sorry for him.
However the PM is wrong to play petty politics and not call a vote of confidence just because Alfred Sant once called one.
On the contrary, he should call a vote immediately and force Debono to make his final ignoble act of his short political career by bringing down his own government . Believe me Gonzi has more chance winning an election in March then he does next next year when our island will be in the middle of the economic gales blowing through Europe.
WHAT!!!!?? Franco Leader of PN???!!!
I would leave the country