The rising cost of living is the biggest concern for the Maltese according new findings from a Times of Malta survey. The cost of living is cited as the most pressing issue for both individuals and the country as a whole.
Inflation has been a growing concern for several months, with NSO recently reporting that it rose to 7% in February.
The survey, carried out by market research firm Esprimi, collected responses between 9th and 16th March. The survey is based on a sample of 600 respondents with a margin of error of 4%. Respondents were asked to list what they view as the country’s greatest problem as well as their own individual greatest problem.
In total, one in five views the rising cost of living as Malta’s greatest national problem, while almost a third also list it as the issue that troubles them most on an individual level, comfortably eclipsing other issues such as over-construction, the environment and traffic.
Cost of living ranked as the biggest individual concern amongst all age groups, with both men and women also citing it as their greatest problem, suggesting that its impact is being felt across all sectors of society.
Corruption more of a national concern than a personal one
While corruption was listed as the country’s second-greatest concern at 18%, fewer than one in ten cited it as their biggest individual problem, with both traffic and rent prices being mentioned more frequently.
PN voters were more likely to view corruption as a personal concern, whereas PL voters and non-voters listed several issues ahead of it, including the environment, excessive construction, traffic and rent prices.
Cost of living remained the biggest individual concern across voters of both parties, as well as amongst non-voters.
However, both PN voters and non-voters list corruption at the top national problem, whereas PL voters believe that the cost of living, over-construction and traffic are more pressing national concerns.
Concern over corruption appears to be slightly greater amongst people over the age of 45, with respondents between the ages of 45 and 65 ranking it as Malta’s top problem.
On the other hand, those between 25 and 45 rank it below the cost of living, whilst people under 24 view the two equally as the country’s top problem.