These latter want to play the part of the angels who, in Dante’s Inferno, ‘aspettavano l’esito per schierarsi col vincitore’.
Il sommo poeta had no qualms about placing these fence-sitters where he thought they rightfully belonged.

I have my doubts. When he was interviewed last Saturday he was very cautious and did not commit himself. But reading between his answers something tells me that he is not happy and looked very anxious and irritable.

What a mess the Nationalist Party and the country are in. Let’s face it: Malta has remained a clientelist society (qaddis u favuri). There is no getting out of it.

If it is any consolation many countries have kept their negative traits despite the passage of time. One could think of the UK and the brexit/Imperial mentality or the USA and the redneck mentality.

I had publicly appealed to MPs not to take sides and not to be seen around with any of the aspiring candidates.

Now that the contest is between two – and two opposites for that matter – I fully subscribe to Jonathan’s call for them to stand up to be counted.

Ftit ilu kont weġibt. Min jaf forsi se jgħaddihom lill-mara bil-power of attorney b’kollox u tibda tħallas hi minfloku. Ma jkunux tiegħu imma – xorta tiegħu fl-aħħar mill-aħħar.

The same as this government did. You scratch my back and I will scratch yours on my terms.

Is it possible that a party administration allows a complete outsider who mustered support from within and without while laying incognito, to make a take over just like that?

Are we trying to lead a party by faulty logic and power rather than showing charismatic and intelligent leadership?

What is worse is that he is trying to take the party over not by an honourable background and solid proven experience but more with the populist approach where might is right and ‘we know better than you, trust me’ attitude.

This is very dangerous and where French people proved their mettle and chose well, the British and the Americans did not. The same is happening here with the Delia man.

If there is something that less than half of the party delegates know better than the population, they better tell us what is cooking and whether there is something in store for them.

My blood boiled when I saw the return of protection officers, thugs, ugly fat men with nick names protecting the New Saviour.

His speech at the Dar Centrali reminded me of an inverse Sermon on the Mount. What we saw is ugly and reminiscent of the 1950s. The Nationalist Party that fought thuggery is now embracing a proponent of the false New Way- a way to what we were and hoped democracy would keep far off from the common people.

So yes, I fully agree with Jonathan. Let us see who the Brutuses are.

That’s the question I keep asking. But for some peculiar reason, it’s the one the press and politicians think least important. It is the MOST important.