The Nationalist Party has accused the government of insulting the people's intelligence by painting a false picture of the realities facing many. 

While the government bragged about economic growth, data from the National Statistics Office showed a big chunk of the people were finding it difficult, Ivan Bartolo, the shadow minister for social welfare, said.

While the government claimed that there was a drop of 4.9% since 2013 in the number of people who were at risk of poverty or social exclusion, the fact was that 100,000 persons in Malta, or one in five, were in constant threat of poverty or social exclusion. 

The percentage of those at risk of poverty or social exclusion had remained practically unchanged, at some 20.1% in 2022 compared to 19.4% in 2017, with the situation deteriorating for the elderly. A total of 42% of those aged over 65 were at risk of dropping below the poverty line, up by 7%.

Forty three of single-parent families were facing the same hardship while 50,000 persons formed part of families that were suffering social or material deprivation.

6.7% of children aged under 16 were lacking basic necessities. 

Media reports showed how the situation was continuing to deteriorate, Bartolo said, and action was needed by the government so that hundreds of Maltese would no longer need to live outside, under a tent or on a construction site.

He noted with concern how a priest had been shocked when, on Christmas morning, a 12-year-old boy went into his sacristy pleading for a meal for himself and his family. 

Instead of trying to address the current situation, Robert Abela was trying to hide it. 

The PN, Bartolo said, was committed to proposing solutions which went to the source of the problems, rather than coming out with cosmetic and populist proposals.