In a tweet last night Socialist MEP Ana Gomes who led the European Parliament delegation to Malta investigating rule of law compared Joseph Muscat with Hungary’s Victor Orban and stated unlike the EPP who protects Orban as a member of the family, European Socialists should stop protecting Joseph Muscat.
That is also, unfortunately, my own conclusion. Mine/his own political Group, @TheProgressives cannot condone it: cannot act as @EPPGroup has been acting regarding PM Órban, protecting him bcs he is from “the family”… https://t.co/JEeZIW5Qu6
— Ana Gomes, MEP (@AnaGomesMEP) January 15, 2018
She was reacting to, and agreeing with, an earlier tweet by Simon Busuttil.
The only reason why the Prime Minister will not do the right thing and sack Mizzi and Schembri is that if they go, he must go too. So it’s all about self-preservation. His is putting his own personal interest ahead of the national interest. @AnaGomesMEP https://t.co/hownH6Qp5q
— Simon Busuttil (@SimonBusuttil) January 12, 2018
European on line journal Politico picked up Ana Gomes’s remarks as they clearly cross a political line, a significant breaking of ranks within the Socialist family.
Here’s Politico’s notes from its digest of today’s European agenda:
“PARTY PEOPLE — SOCIALISTS START TO CALL FOR MUSCAT’S HEAD: It’s hard to know what external political force could topple the government of Malta, long dogged by claims of corruption. The move by some fellow Socialist MEPs to say it’s time for Prime Minister Joseph Muscat to resign won’t be welcomed in Valletta.”
Joseph Muscat’s political survival in a context that is supposed to be democratic is a growing international mystery.