For the past five decades, Eurobarometer surveys have been the official polling instrument used by the EU to regularly monitor the state of public opinion.
The latest survey reveals some interesting, even if not surprising, findings on the mood of the nation. Perhaps the most relevant headline is that half of the people now believe things are heading in the wrong direction. This is a significant increase on the figure registered last year, bringing Malta’s score in line with the EU average.
Equally worrying is that 85 per cent of Maltese expect their standard of living to decrease over the next year. So why is the notion of a sour mood gaining ground?
Perceptions on specific issues can ebb and flow, but a long-term negative trend is developing in the public’s view of the country. This has certainly not been a good year for those who value integrity in public governance.
The Eurobarometer survey coincided with a Times of Malta investigation exposing a driving licence racket, just weeks after a similar disability benefits racket was revealed. Unfortunately, these were not isolated cases of abuse of power that have come to the surface in the last few years.
Hard-working, honest families are feeling high inflation pressures despite generous, non-targeted, indefinite subsidy schemes financed by taxpayers’ money.
Besides the worsening financial pressures, people have to put up with other factors that negatively impact their quality of life, including chaotic traffic, air pollution, uncontrolled population growth, and the deterioration of the urban and rural environment mainly due to the ever- increasing construction projects. What’s worse is that despite the pledges, there is little to indicate that the government wants to tone down construction, a sector which is visibly choking up the island.
A staggering 92 per cent say that Malta has benefited from EU membership almost two decades after joining
There is a silver lining in the latest Eurobarometer survey. The Maltese are more hopeful about the EU than most, despite the fact the union has its own unaddressed structural weaknesses. A staggering 92 per cent say that Malta has benefited from EU membership almost two decades after joining. The great majority of Maltese also agree that the EU has some kind of impact on their lives.
In a few months, the electorate will be voting for the election of the new European Parliament.
Seventy per cent of Maltese expressed their desire to vote in the upcoming MEP elections, while 17 per cent said it is unlikely they would be participating in the elections. This election will not be just about what the Maltese think about this critical EU institution; it will be an occasion for many to voice their approval or disapproval of the direction the country is taking.
An increasing number of people fret about issues like public health, the effects of climate change, the fight against poverty, and social exclusion. Migration, the state of democracy, the rule of law, and consumer rights are other gripes that worry people in Malta.
The Eurobarometer survey findings are a challenge for our political leadership. There is a very real sensation among Maltese that things are not going quite as well as they felt they had in the past.
Disgruntlement is natural during a party’s third successive term in power. But there is a lot the government can do to ensure the electorate’s lethargy and frustration does not spiral out of control.