Franco got it wrong. Twice.

Looking up to Europe?

"It is good for Malta to be offering its help in rebuilding Libya's democracy, but are we not understanding the importance of putting our house in order first? ... One lesson to be learnt from Libya is that economic prosperity does not necessarily indicate a healthy democracy."

These are the words of Franco Debono, a Nationalist MP. A question and a statement. Both political fallacies. 

First, the very notion of comparing the emergency medical and logistical support Malta is giving to a close neighbour at war with the constitutional tinkering required by an EU country like ours, is, at best, distasteful. At worst, it betrays a deep misunderstanding of where the heart of politics lies.

Secondly, Libya did not teach us the lesson that "economic prosperity does not necessarily indicate a healthy democracy", as Franco Debono suggests. We Europeans knew it all along because it is the very essence of who we are.

It was Europe which invented the unique political idea that only democratic institutions increase prosperity and and spread it to the many, not the few. If this continent stands for anything it is that prosperity and democracy are not and should not be mutually exclusive. 

We did not learn this lesson from Gaddafi's downfall. Libyans learnt it from us.