Clientelism and politics in Malta - Charles Mangion

I think that this clientelism issue is being inflated beyond rational justification.
MPs all over the democratic world have clinics where they meet their constituents in order to keep in contact with voters. This, in my opinion, is a vital part of the democratic process, namely, to keep close contact and comprehend better the micro issues at a local level.
I was an MP for 30 years, from 1987 to 2017 (I didn’t contest the last election), and my professional offices within the constituency also served as the place where I met my constituents on a regular basis.

I also had door-to-door meetings,  which I found informative albeit taxing, of course. But choosing politics along with my professional career as a notary was a choice I freely made and I was fully aware of the implications.
During these 30 years as an MP, I met thousands of constituents and I can with confidence state that only a very small percentage of those who called made outrageous demands. It all depends on how the MP or prospective MP deals with them.
One can go along with such demands well knowing that they are ludicrous or else deal with the issue there and then and tell the individual the truth.
But, at the same...