AD learns through media that alliance talks with PN had collapsed

Alternattiva Demokratika said this afternoon that it would be holding the Nationalist Party responsible for giving Prime Minister Joseph Muscat another possible five years in office, after the party learnt through the media that discussions for a pre-electoral alliance between the two parties had collapsed.

In a terse statement, AD said it had read in the media that the PN had decided that was not possible for it to come to an agreement with AD, on different terms than those already agreed with the Democratic Party.

The statement was signed by AD Chairperson Arnold Cassola, Deputy Chairperson Carmel Cacopardo, Seretary General Ralph Cassar and executive member Mario Mallia, all involved with the PN.

AD said this was an unfortunate development because the Green Party’s proposals were based on respect for the political diversity in the alliance and to make sure that the PN did not use the alliance simply for arithmetical purposes but to bring real change in the country.

“It is also unfortunate that the PN was unable to keep the interests of the country before those of the party,” the statement read. “As a consequence the PN must now bear the responsibility of giving Joseph Muscat and the delinquents around him the possibility of another five years in office.”

The PN had proposed that AD candidates run on the PN ticket but with nicknames to distinguish them, a similar agreement to that which was formalised with Marlene Farrugia’s Partit Demokratiku.

However, the AD insisted that all PN, AD and PD candidates run under a completely different name – Qawsalla (Rainbow) to reflect the new rainbow coalition.

The PN said in a statement that it will not budge from its stated position and that the Constitution and electoral law makes it difficult to form AD’s proposed coalition.

It said that its offer for a coalition remains open and urged the AD to reconsider its stance, arguing that all political forces in the country should work in tandem to remove Labour from government

“The PN and the AD both understand the urgent need to remove Joseph Muscat from government and elect a new government that offers a clean and wise style of leadership. We appreciate the spirit with which AD entered these negotiations,” the PN said.

The emblem for the 'rainbow coalition' that AD had proposed to PN

What had AD proposed to PN?

Following the negotiation talks last week, Simon Busuttil told the press that he had agreed to practically every proposal that AD had included in a policy document.

Now that the coalition has officially collapsed, Cassola has published the document online and it includes some relatively radical proposals.

• A reform in electoral law to ensure proportional representation in Parliament.

• Drug decriminalisation for personal use, based on the Portuguese model

• Regulation of political lobbying

• Environmental safeguards in the Constitution

• A moratorium on the construction large buildings in localities with several vacant properties.

• Harsher tax evasion laws

• Limits on the number of people who can be employed on a position of trust basis

• Local councils will be able to hold local referenda to block projects on ODZ land

• Introduction of living wills

• Full-time MPs who will be forbidden from taking up other jobs while in office