What do you think?
I have received this email. What do you think?
Dear Daphne,
Franco Debono may very well have completely lost it, though he certainly is no fool. He’s very much aware of the fact that a snap election will most likely see a new (for want of a better word) Labour government sworn in.
I’ve come to believe he’s doing this purposely to spite everyone, as someone with his personality will never fall silently.
He knows his political career is over, he knows he will never be made minister let alone prime minister, he knows that his childhood rival will always smirk at his failure to outdo him, he knows he’s lost the battle already.
He believes that if he has to fall, he will bring the whole country crashing down with him, as no one deserves to be one step ahead of him and that is precisely what he must be doing right now. He doesn’t care about the consequences of his actions as once Labour gets sworn in he’ll be off to Italy in no time, leaving the whole country in a right mess. One could almost hear him say ”Hekk, haqqhom!”
Yours sincerely,
(name supplied)
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Makes sense when one is dealing with a narcisstic/hedonistic personality disorder. Only the difference is he will then leave, and leave us to deal with the sure shambles of the new government. Nero sang while Rome burned.
I agree with you. He suffers from Cluster B Personality Disorder. Individuals suffering from this condition:
1. have a grandoise sense of self-importance;
2. are preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance etc;
3 believe that they are “special” and unique and can only be understood by, or should associate with, other special or high status people;
4. requires excessive admiration;
5. have a sense of entitlement, ie. unreasonable expectations of especially favourable treatment or automatic compliance with demands;
6. are interpersonally exploitative, taking advantage of others to achieve their own ends;
7. lack empathy and are unwilling to recognize or identify with the feelings and needs of others;
8. are often envious of others or believe that others are envious of them;
9. show arrogant, haughty behaviour or attitudes.
Oh c’mon JRM, enough about Daphne! What about Franco?
@B Ching
Can’t you read simple english, JRM is talking about a ‘he’ not a ‘she’.
In my opinion, unfortunately and probably quite close to the truth.
Whoever this person is, he/she seems to have hit the nail on the head.
I would also like to add to it – I don’t think that it is simply his political career that is over, but also his professional one, meaning that the man hasn’t got much of a choice, so to hell with the rest of us (in his mind, of course).
wishful thinking – I like many others like the combat spirit of this lawyer and will not hesitate to have him represent me if I’m in trouble!!
Acting with criminal intent, are you?
Smart move, advertising it here.
Franco, stop advertising yourself and get lost.
I agree. Now, what I want to know is, who in Italy is going to pick up a failed politician with mediocre Form IIC results?
There are no vacancies for narcissistic mammone. Italy is already stuffed full of them.
He might replace Rocco Buttiglione, whatever happened to him.
Is this a coded disclosure of an action plan?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPQt3WBs5jQ
Perhaps that is not his intention at all. In fact it doesn’t pay him to force an election. The minute he does this he has lost everything. I wonder whether he is he really prepared to do this?
I’m not too hot on parliamentary procedure ….perhaps someone can enlighten me. When is the Speaker required to vote?
If Parliament meets next week and FD abstains on the financial bill. Could the speaker vote?
If so the Bill would pass and the PN would continue in government.
It is also possible that a vote of no confidence in the Government is presented by the LP next week. (I doubt that the Speaker could vote on this in the event of a tie but I stand to be corrected). However, FD could still vote with the PN representatives …..and the PN would still be in power. Perhaps this is why the LP is not rushing in with a vote of no confidence. They would be left with egg on their faces if they lose it.
Effectively, by picking and choosing how he votes FD can keep the PN in Government but effectively dictate which Laws pass and which don’t. He might not be THE leader ….but he would be “in charge” anyway and could continue to blackmail the whole nation till he gets what he wants.
This situation could go on indefinitely
I’m sure you’ll agree this would be a nightmare situation. The effect on the country would be horrendous. Does anyone have any idea just how possible this is?
Nah on the contrary he won’t go so far. I say that he’ll abstain and we’ll continue with this charade for god knows how long.
Have you read the latest story on The Times? If you read between the lines it seems that he’s hinting that he wants Tonio Borg’s job so that he can be party leader when Gonzi retires.
Do you agree?
Whatever happens we will all be in the same boat, PL will be in power sooner or later for all 400k people living on this island, i hope joseph muscat will have the wisdom to choose a competent cabinet and employ the right consultants.
Only time will tell, they will not be worse that the 80’s so relax a bit, and leave it to the electorate, we will have the government we merit.
This is a post I saw earlier on Facebook – “I was in valletta this morning Vince, from court to Cordina this mad man was being treated like a VIP. Walking through Republic Street. Just can’t believe how low people can go.” So after all Malta will get what it deserves.
Very factual.
Franco has nothing to lose at this stage for the simple reason that he has already lost it all.
He is a ruined man.
Ruined by his own delusions.
In a clear-minded and calm environment, there’s plenty of career that’s worth salvaging, both politically and professionally. Did you notice that the parliamentary group chose not to expel him? That’s meaningful too, I think.
But then again, it’s only days before the crucial vote so we’ll soon find out, one way or the other.
If they survive this, the parliamentary group should give Dr Debono the party Whip. He will probably be good at cracking it at those he perceives as being dormant.
No. On the contrary, I’m starting to think that, as plans go, his is a little more ambitious and clever than that, and that people’s biggest mistake would now be to dismiss the danger he represents because of the loon within.
After his performance (how apt a description that is) on Bondi+ last night – and a good deal of the non-diehard nationalist reaction to it – I’m convinced that not only does he believe he’s as good and deserving as he says he is, but that he’s got a good chance of pulling it off and ending this sorry debacle on a personal high.
The fact is that, unless you were a viewer already convinced of his treachery and instability to a point where objectivity was no longer an option, and assuming he set his stall out to exasperate Bondi and keep people guessing, he did bloody well.
He frustrated the hell out of Bondi (never an unpopular thing) but stuck to his demented guns and countered throughout, all the while feeding his audience and his ego and not giving a hoot about anyone else.
By the end of it, the sense of horror I had at the way this man had the political future of the country in the palm of his hand was accompanied by a sneaking admiration for his gumption.
The school report was a (nutter’s) gimmick, but a gimmick that completely turned everyone’s attention from his political arguments onto himself as an individual while at the same time turning many people’s anger to mirth.
Now it’s the Franco show, and the Franco show isn’t about appealing to intellectuals or die-hard blues, it’s about appealing to voters. And God knows there are enough people in the country who love nothing more than a shit-stirrer.
that the truth well said
Franco Debono reminds me of Eric Cartman.
“Screw you guys, I am going home.”
He’s not the Messiah, he just a very naughty boy.
I would say a mummy’s boy
It makes sense for the most part. I can only see one major flaw in the reasoning. If all his theatrics are based on a rivalry he has with the Head Chav then why in the name of the gods does he hand him the ultimate victory, i.e. the post of prime minister?
His incessant rants on television about how much he’s suffered are very telling.
“Kemm batejt….jien il-vera batejt….imma il-vera batejt….jien ghaddejt minn terrur.”
He portrays himself as the one who has given his all to save this country, much like Kristu msallab gave his all to save humanity, as Daphne pointed out in yesterday’s entry ”Il-Kalvarju ta’ Franco Debono Msallab.”
His motive now is to carry out his personal vendetta. For a man who also plays the victim to such a level, seeing his arch rival sworn in as prime minister would be his ultimate sacrifice.
I think that if Joseph Muscat becomes prime minister following the Franco Debono saga, Franco Debono will forever remind Joseph Muscat that his success is partly thanks to him.
Debono’s objective is to promote his legal practice. His constant eagerness for visibility is motivated by his desire to expand his practice (and also by his over-inflated ego). He perceived his political career as a means to an end, namely to promote his legal practice. Once it is no longer serving him that purpose, he had no difficulty to commit political suicide.
Debono is faced with two scenarios
Scenario 1: An election is called now. As soon as an election is called, Debono will become history. People will no longer be interested in what he has to say because it will be irrelevant. He will be crowded out of the media by election candidates. People’s perception is that he is the unbalanced MP who provoked a premature election just because he was not made minister. That perception will stick.
Scenario 2: He sits as an independent MP in Parliament but does not vote against government and provoke an election. People will remain on tenterhooks as to what he what might do next so he will be given prime time on television. He will have the opportunity to change people’s current perception of him (presumably by talking sense about justice, constitution or whatever). He will be given good coverage on most media particularly by One and Maltatoday. Whilst telling them about the problems of the justice system, he will have ample opportunity to tell people ‘what an able criminal lawyer he is’. This could go on for months up to end 2012. If and when media give him less coverage, he will do or say something controversial to get the cameras zooming on him once again.
As erratic and unbalanced as he may seem, he should be able to think it through and determine which of the two scenarios is best for him. My guess is therefore that he will not vote against the government and provoke early elections.
For Debono, this is a chess game. Getting media exposure is king.
I think they call this the Samson Syndrome.
Precisely the theory put forward here:
http://ilovemalta.tumblr.com/post/15669256039/its-no-longer-about-franco-frankuni
Franco in his smoking jacket, by the fire smirking as he watches Malta being overrun with red …..
So right.
And it seems that we have all forgotten that Franco Debono is still a parliamentary assistant in the Office of the Prime Minister. And if i’m not mistaken, the Code of Ethics of PAs strictly prohibits the latter to criticise the Minister they has been assigned to.
Oligarchy and dictatorship my a**.
Rome? Unless he is extremely well connected and possibly has close ties to the Vatican he has very little possibility of even making a decent living in Rome. He has no idea what he’s on about.
He may have passed as a whizzkid in Malta but he’ll be just another presumptious harebrained twat here … and I agree with Life of Brian – we’re already full of them.
Don’t underestimate Franco Debono.
He got 100% in his form IIC mid-yearly religion exam and the current pope’s not long for this world.
I’m just wondering – maybe Franco will turn around after being encouraged by someone else and changes his mind and states he will vote for the government.
Whoever sent the e-mail has clinically assessed the guy. Debono is fine once in the limelight but once an election is called he will become irrelevant to the political scene and will have to find pastures new where to graze.
At present his ego is being fed by the TV stations and media in general but once it is all over than he will have a major problem. This is why I still think that he will not vote the government out any time soon.
Without the windmill he will become completely irrelevant that is unless he resigns his seat and make it his mission to torment Gonzi from outside the political establishment.
He will see some of the laws he has proposed enacted and than claim and brag that we owe it to him.
Exactly what I’ve been thinking as well. He will never reconsider his actions. Hence, an early election is inevitable.
Very close to the stark facts as they stand with only one exception.
The country’s fate is NOT in the hands of Franco Debono. It is rather in the hands of the electorate. Franco has only one vote – his, but his vote can be easily nullified by the will of his constituents.
.
Franco Debono is already a loser – and that is really the pity. All the energy his wasting, all the TV shows and radio interviews mean absolutely nothing to him and it is most disgusting to witness him being used by his number one enemy and former classmate, Joseph.
Joseph will become prime minister if the people want so, but Franco will have a better chance of becoming the Emperor of Lampedusa than return even as an MP in the Maltese Parliament.
Irony of ironies. What started as a push to jump a rung or two in the political ladder, ended with a thud past the lowest rung. The brilliant student simply failed at the most rudimentary math calculation in the sphere of politics and yet he claims to be a super politician, better than Gonzi and that he deserved much better.
He will certainly get what he deserves, and then some.
From now on, in my opinion, whatever Franco does, he is finished – completely finished – because he is a man without honour. Muscat should send him a gift.
My view is that Franco Debono is acting out, particularly after the comment Lawrence Gonzi allegedly made to the US ambassador about a limited talent pool.
Someone with this severity of narcissistic behaviour would have taken that to heart, and personally, and tried to prove him wrong.
[Daphne – No, he’s been at it since 10 March 2008.]
As you said in the blog earlier there should have been a stop put this long time ago.
Unfortunately as unpopular as Franco might have become, as crazy as Franco might be, I’m afraid that there will be no winner here but just losers.
The Prime Minister has allowed one too many of the backbenchers to do as they please only to in the end give in, showing weakness as a leader.
It might not all be his fault as I’m sure he has advisors. but I’m not sure all deserve to be called such.
In the end, no matter who advised him it is his face, that is of the Prime Minister, who I’m afraid no amount of arguing at this point will convince anyone that he will come out weaker out of this.
In the Franco debacle, you have foreseen all of this way way back, so how come no one else in the top party brass saw that this is inevitable if they keep on the same track?
How come nobody took the bull by horns then?
Unfortunately it has been a trait in the legislature to simply delay, delay, defend the indefensible and then finally give in. This shows weakness in overall organisation and ability to read the pulse of the situation.
Most of the arguments that Franco has put forth one can barely argue with, be it Arriva or the judicial system. God knows how often we read about the latter in your blogs. His methods maybe faulty, his character dubious at best, but if we discuss the criticism he put forward rather than the person one can barely argue.
[Daphne – Yes, Norman Lowell had some points too, I believe. And Charles Manson (to take the argument to its logical extreme) receives more fan mail from people who think he has a point than any other prisoner in the history of the US penal system. But please don’t try to tell me that you can take what they say out of the context of who’s saying it, and discuss it separately. You can’t. And that’s why Charles Manson isn’t a poster-boy for global warming, even though it’s now one of his hobby-horses. The medium is the message, remember? Or hadn’t you heard about that. ]
Which in itself is a huge problem for the government as disgruntled Nationalists are many and to most this is just another ‘there you see’ not even amongst them parliamentarians they look after each other how can we expect them to look after us.
[Daphne – Excuse me, but ‘look after us’…what does that mean? Favours? Tsk tsk.]
Now we can argue until there is no tomorrow and do all the character assassination we like but that is just making the disgruntled further disgruntled. I talked to many people and what I hear I don’t like.
How often I heard, the Labour might not be a good solution, but these lot deserve a lesson.
I argue but you will suffer because or might suffer because of that. The response is but at least they suffer with me.
[Daphne – Southern Mediterranean mentality: “I would rather suffer to make others suffer, rather than enjoy myself if it means that they are enjoying themselves more than I am.” Jaqq, xi dwejjaq. Mhux ta’ b’xejn qatt ma jaslu mkien certu nies.]
Which is no argument, I know, but I cannot be the only one who is hearing this. Last election there were many who did not vote when in previous years they voted PN. This time they will vote Labour or AD.
The issue is not Franco, the issue is the government in its total and not even the Prime Minister.
I believe that at the moment the least said the better with regards to Franco and instead tackle the issues.
Of course tackle Franco, let him rant in front of cameras but the party should deal with him behind closed doors.
If Franco does not see the light (and I dont think he will), then call an election. The more the delay the weaker the government will look. It is just giving the impression that they are clinging to power.
It is not the thousands of diehards that win or lose an election but the few hundred of disgruntled.
There are no floating voters. There are only Labour voters who are ashamed to be labelled Labour, and Nationalist voters who like to give the impression that they vote with their head not their heart.
[Daphne – I agree with you completely on this.]
In the end the disgruntled win or lose an election. See to that and the Nationalist Party might still stand a chance.
I do not agree with some comments written above about Franco
He is very smart and he knows what he is doing but i am 100% sure that he will not put our country in early election he will stop by the edge.He wants his voice to be heard from as many people as possible an than he stops because he loves his country.Hope he will be on the good side of Maltese history not on the other side.He will never let this country drown because of his mistaken moves so please try not to be very personal because on the whole he have many good proposals for the best for us to be reformed in future.
The only person in this debate who needs reform is Franco Debono but he’s a lost cause, so save your tears.
It’s time we see a new government I guess, uncertainty in a Party is not good for anyone.
I agree. Franco should resign and set up Malta’s Monster Raving Loony Party.
I’d say he should shack up with Norman Lowell, but neither of them could stand the competition.
What I think? I think that all this doom and gloom that will befall Malta if Labour is elected is downright silly. I also think that at the end of the day, if Labour does make it to office, this “fear” will abate, but the long faces will remain, because that is the way we are, on either side of the fence.
That’s what I think.