Democracy …. Franco’s version
Our interest in all things political is such that we are now being force fed Franco Debono on virtually all local stations of an evening. It is our choice to watch even if its effect on the stomach is none too healthy.
In the last couple of days (the ‘crisis’ started on Friday evening and it is only Tuesday morning now) there have been numerous calls on Franco Debono to resign from parliament by respected stalwarts of our parliamentary system. The reason is simple. We have a democratically elected Party in Government and now one of its members has decided that he is no longer part of the democratically elected party.
In any organisation or commercial entity, if you have numerous disagreements with your leaders or management you have three options. You either take the plunge and contest the leadership and take over, or you take it on the chin and accept that you will toe the line even though you disagree or you get out of the way and find another organisation that is consonant with your way of thinking.
There are no other options in normal organisations or commercial entities.
That is what normal people do. In the case of Franco Debono he has his parliamentary seat as a weapon and has the added option of opposing his leaders until there is another democratic election ie he has the option of undermining a democratically elected party because he chooses that his seat is no longer synonymous with the government. Our Constitution is clear on the way seats are allocated to give the Party with most votes more seats.
It is the Party that is elected but the seats that vote. It is an anomaly in our blend of democracy that proves that no democracy is perfect.
What is, however, most disconcerting is Franco’s pronouncements that he should not resign but the person who is in the wrong that should resign. Franco Debono is assuming the role of judge and jury by deciding unilaterally that he is right and the Prime Minister is wrong. Not very democratic is it?
Coming from someone who says he has suffered because of the lack of democracy (pray tell where?!) it seems that what is good for the goose is not so good for the gander.
