<i>Xarabank</i> survey puts PN in the lead

Just over 30 per cent of respondents in a Xarabank survey said they would be voting for PN candidates in the European Parliament elections, with 22.5 per cent opting for MLP candidates.

Alternattiva Demokratika's support stood at 4.8 per cent, while the support for other parties and/or independent candidates was of less than one per cent each.

Another 24.9 per cent said they were still undecided, while 9.2 per cent said they did not want to answer the question.

Seven per cent said they were not going to vote.

Removing from the equation those who refused to answer, the undecided, and those who said they would not be voting, the PN would be left with 51.2 per cent of the support and the MLP with 38.2 per cent.

AD would have 8.2 per cent, the candidate of the hunters and trappers lobby, Lino Farrugia, 0.9 per cent, Imperium Europa, led by Norman Lowell, 0.7 per cent, the Alpha party of Emmy Bezzina 0.5 per cent, and other independent candidates 0.3 per cent.

The data were also analysed from the perspective of last year's EU referendum vote. It was concluded that 59.9 per cent of those who had voted "yes" would now be voting for PN candidates and 7.4 per cent for AD's candidate.

Those who voted "no" in the referendum and who would vote for MLP candidates amounted to 75.3 per cent.

Respondents were asked if they would be voting for one or more parties. While 51.2 per cent said they would vote for only one, 21.9 per cent said they would vote for more. 19.8 per cent said they were undecided and 7.1 per cent refused to answer the question.

The relative majority of respondents - 49.6 per cent - said they considered EU membership to be a positive development as against 21.4 per cent who considered it to be a negative one.

The survey was carried out by Malta Polls on behalf of Xarabank.