You’d imagine a country, constitutionally Roman-Catholic, with more than 85% of its population being ardent believers, to be fairly conservative and traditionalistic.

You’d imagine a country which has been following the path of further Europeanisation to be quite liberal and progressive.

Yet, when it comes to our country’s political climate and political culture, you realise we are somewhat unique: a country plagued by political illiteracy and political fanaticism, run by administerial-type politicians that lack any sense of vision for the state and the nation. This can easily be seen and spotted when you look towards social issues within the country itself.

We rank 1st in Europe when it comes to LGBTQIA+ Rights for 7 consecutive years, and in 2021 becoming the first EU country to legalise recreational cannabis. Then you have the polar opposite, leading Europe in the most authoritarian rules when it comes to abortion. Aside from these, let us not forget how the sex work industry in the country is an administrational blunder – simply put, it’s a wild west, with plenty of topics like euthanasia, the lack of disentanglement between political parties and media relations, and education reforms still not being talked about enough.

I might not be a medical practitioner nor student. I am but a simple political science student, however, I’d say that the country suffers from a complete Napoleonic complex.

This in itself stems from Malta`s long history of bipolarisation that acts as a slippery slope for progress and innovation.

Therefore, you realise early on that the political culture here is one based on family tradition, which often more times than not, lacks any reason and logic for their loyalty and vote.

In the “Political Fanaticism in Malta” article by independent writer Katrina, a profoundly important point was mentioned: “Politics seeps its way into our educational experience in subtle ways.” Be it the student parties, or the media, family and friends, the constant feeding of bipartisan politics and traditionalistic views on politics; we vilify politics as if it is simply dirty and corrupt; we fear discussing or openly making logical political statements – yet we glorify the party leaders as if they are above us, separate from our mortal world – and we permit ourselves to remain ignorant of political matters and ignorant of our political duties.

Essentially all this disdain poisons our minds and limits our education, which in turn impacts the level of actual active citizenry.

But to cut to the chase.

Strong political neutrality is needed to avoid the nuances of the political-religious jargon where it is not required, as to give justice to these social issues that are present in our society and to avoid the superficiality that is traditionally taken with them, primarily to tackle the misnomers associated with them.

Our political climate and system essentially comprise three actors that have a close relationship with the public and leverage over them, these being: Political Parties, the Catholic Church, and the Government.

Therefore, it is important that there is a serious public discussion without the interference of these actors. A series of debates that have the backing of the government but include all voices, not simply the powerful and popular voices, and not simply from one strain of the argument, as to provide an honest and just platform for the people, and help citizens to formulate their own opinion so as to effectively exert their right to vote.

By properly educating the public through extensive debates and campaigns that include all the relevant actors, no matter how big or small, to present the various cases for the different hotpot topics, this will help avoid sham referendums and formulation of open-ended politics that will only derail democracy further, as well as help make the public more politically literate.

This article was written by an independent writer whose views are not associated with The Third Eye. The Third Eye strives to be the student’s voice, and that entails giving them a platform to voice their opinions.

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How Students Will Be Impacted

The Stipend Conundrum

Students all over the country are rejoicing as the government announced another increase in stipend, this time based on the cost-of-living adjustment. However, SDM was quick to point out that the reason Junior College has started offering four year courses is because students cannot live on the stipend alone and many of them already have a job.

Although SDM appreciates the increase in student stipend, that of one euro every week, four euros every month and fifty euro every year, we would like to point out that it is still not enough for a typical student to keep up with all scholastic and daily needs.

SDM urges the government to revisit the stipend situation and make the necessary changes.

Furthermore, KNŻ raised the matter that the same stipend that applies for full-time students should also apply for part-time students.

The Forgotten Land Of Gozo

SDM and KSU identified the lack of proposals in place for Gozitan students. While the government will provide first time buyers with a €10K grant, KSU and SDM both expressed the lack of consideration towards Gozitan students.

KSU hopes that more initiatives are introduced with a specific focus given to renting students, more importantly, Gozitans.

Issues such as commutes, rentals, and further investment in the Gozo Campus should be prioritised considerably throughout 2023.

The Every Morning Traffic Headache

Everyone dreads the morning commute due to the excessive amount of traffic one encounters on the road. However, mornings are even harder on students who have to catch a bus to University of their respective schools. While public transport is already free, the government is discussing the possibility of limiting certain vehicles from being on the road during rush hour, in hopes of reducing traffic.

Encouraging Students To Study Abroad

KSU’s statement continued with praising the government for their initiative of strengthening current tax credit and scholarship programs have been strengthened for students who want to pursue post-graduate courses overseas.

To guarantee that as many students as possible are aware of these subsidies, KSU proposes more education and informational resources are given to students.

A New ITS Campus Is Set To Emerge

In a pre-budget meeting with representatives from the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association, Prime Minister Robert Abela announced excavation work will soon start on the site of the Institute of Tourism Studies’ (ITS) new campus in Smart City.

The new campus will include classrooms, offices, a library, cafeteria, and auditorium. The campus will also have added facilities, such as, five incubation centres, a wine cellar, three restaurants with connected kitchens, culinary science labs, a bakery, and student housing.

A day-care centre, ancillary stores, and two levels of subterranean parking are included among the additional amenities. Additionally, a basketball court will be built.

Concluding Thoughts

While the 2023 budget mentions important points and initiatives the government plans on taking, student organisations believe that more discussions need to be held regarding students and how they can benefit from these plans

For KSU’s full statement click here.

For SDM’s full statement click here.

For KNZ’s full statement click here.

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