[WATCH] Greens ADPD mourn dismal projections: ‘People think parties are dirty’

The Green Party issued a terse analysis of what went wrong for them in a European election that saw them poll lowly figures, well below other independent candidates, although no data is available at the time of writing.

Leader Sandra Gauci said she would not step down as leader, but was disparaging of the mainstream parties’ campaigns.

“It is clear that people have decided that voting for a party is associated with something that is unclean,” she said, to describe why voters had not opted for ADPD.

Instead it was the one-time ADPD leader Arnold Cassola, now an independent politician after breaking in 2019 over the party’s pro-choice stand, that had pipped the Greens comfortably.

But Gauci was unclear about the party’s shortcomings. “Yes, we must look at what we did wrong,” she replied when asked about Cassola’s performance. “We certainly cannot blame others. We could have worked harder, but these things are what they are. Certainly people voted on emotions, not policies.”

“Both Labour and the PN have little to be happy about. The most crucial factor is that some 100,000 didn’t vote… many voters do not want to be associated with a party, and that’s also why many independents crowded the field. It concerns us, as a party, apart from having to confront the nepotism that rules this country.”

Gauci claimed that corruption in Malta had scared people away from choosing a party, because voters associate parties with ‘corruption’ or ‘bribery’. “We still need a credible opposition to put the brakes on the government, and Roberta Metsola’s victories in these elections are her own. It’s useless piggy-backing on her votes.”

Gauci said she would not stand down from party leader. “My colleagues believe me and they have my back. I gave myself a time-limit… I’m not going to be here for 30 years. I will try once, twice, and at the third go I will take stock.”

ADPD candidate Ralph Cassar said the election was marked by a lack of interest in European issues. “The main parties did not even release their electoral manifesto. There was simple no interested in EU policies.”

ADPD executive member Mario Mallia said the party will be analysing the results over the next weeks. “We will keep building on this process, it is one step of many. We will always look at the road ahead to find ways of making this country a better place.”