Malta : the rise of an anti-politics culture? An inevitable trend of depoliticisation and repoliticisation

Abstract

Is the rise of anti-politics evidenced by the depoliticisation and repoliticisation of the political sphere viable within an embedded culture of high politicisation? By underlining the relationship between depoliticisation (expressed primarily through electoral abstention) and repoliticisation (expressed primarily through civic engagement), this paper discusses the plausibility of the rise of an anti-politics culture in Malta; a country characterised by near-universal election turnout, strong party loyalties, and an enduring two-party system. Taking Malta as a case study for both macro and micro-level analysis, the paper examines the country’s exceptional case of outstanding politicisation, in tandem with emerging trends of depoliticisation arising from partisan dealignment, presaging a repoliticisation of sociopolitical life through civic realignments. The rise of an anti-politics culture is examined and interpreted within the context of Malta’s bipartisan duality and political tribalism. Despite its bipartisanship engrossment, the rise of this anti-politics culture, characterised by greater cognitive mobilisation and a more rational assessment of parties evident through increased electoral abstention, floating and cross-party voting, as well as increased activism in non-electoral forms of civil participation, is seen to portend a progressive transformative shift towards realignment forces which demand more responsive and accountable systems of governance.