Election Desk: Show me the money (or don’t?)

Imagine this: it’s the day after a general election in Malta. You’re walking down Republic Street, the heart of Valletta, and you notice something unusual. There are no posters left. None. Not a single ‘Viva’ or ‘Kienu’ in sight. Just clean walls and a city breathing a sigh of relief. This isn’t a dream, it’s a reality in some European countries, and it’s sparking a conversation here in Malta.

Money Talks, But How Much?

Elections cost money. Lots of it. In Malta, political parties are allocated public funds based on the number of votes they receive. The bigger the party, the bigger the cheque. But is this system working? Or is it creating a monster of spending that’s distorting our democracy?

Take the 2019 European Parliament elections, for instance. The Nationalist Party spent around €300,000, while the Labour Party spent over €500,000. That’s a lot of money, and it’s all taxpayers’ money. But how is it being spent? And is it making a difference?

Posters, Parties, and Propaganda

Walk around Malta during an election period, and you’ll see posters everywhere. They’re on walls, on lamp posts, even on trees. But are they effective? And at what cost? The Labour Party, for example, has been known to spend tens of thousands on posters alone. But is this money well-spent? Or is it just littering our streets?

Then there are the parties. Big, expensive affairs that can cost tens of thousands of euros. But are they worth it? Are they swaying votes? Or are they just a chance for candidates to schmooze and selfie?

Transparency: The Elephant in the Room

Transparency is a big issue in Maltese politics. We know how much parties spend, but we don’t know how they spend it. There’s no breakdown, no itemised list. It’s all lumped together under ‘election expenses’. And that, say critics, is a problem.

Take the recent local council elections. The Labour Party spent over €1 million. But what did that buy? We don’t know. And that, say transparency advocates, is a problem. Because without transparency, there’s no accountability. And without accountability, there’s no trust.

But change is coming. The Electoral Commission is pushing for more transparency. They want to know exactly how much is spent on what. And they want the public to know too. Because, they say, democracy works best when it’s open and transparent.

So, should we show the money? Or should we hide it away? It’s a tough question. But one thing’s for sure: it’s a conversation we need to have. Because our democracy depends on it.

As former Prime Minister and now Opposition Leader, Adrian Delia, puts it, “Transparency is not a luxury, it’s a necessity. It’s the lifeblood of our democracy.”

So, let’s have that conversation. Let’s ask the tough questions. Let’s demand the answers. Because this is our money. And this is our democracy. And we deserve to know how it’s being spent.