The Maltese citizens have a more positive image than the average EU citizen of both the European Parliament and the EU as a whole, according to a recent Eurobarometer study.

A good 64% of the 507 citizens surveyed in Malta between October and November last year reported an overall positive image of the EU, compared to an average of 47% across the rest of the bloc.

This represented a gain of six percentage points since the previous study conducted between April and May 2022 while, in the rest of the EU, the proportion of those with a positive impression of the union dropped five percentage points in the same period.

When asked about their impression of the European Parliament, 62% of Maltese respondents had an overall positive one. This compared to an average of just 36% in the other member states.

Compared to the previous study, Maltese support for the European Parliament remained the same, whereas the average number of people in the rest of the EU having a positive impression of the legislative body dropped three percentage points.

Metsola may have boosted support for European Parliament

One possible reason for Malta’s above-average support for the European Parliament could be the ascension of Roberta Metsola to president in January 2022, following her election to first vice president in November 2020.

Metsola is the youngest and first Maltese candidate to have assumed the role as well as the third female.

She has enjoyed widespread popularity across the union for her response to a range of issues including the Ukraine war and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Earlier this month, Metsola was named Woman of the Year during the fourth edition of the Women in a Legal World Conference in Spain.

Democracy is highest priority

When queried about what values the European Parliament should defend in order of priority, Maltese respondents most strongly favoured democracy (35%), the rule of law (32%) and combatting discrimination and protecting minorities (24%).

The prioritising of democracy was only one percentage point behind the European average, while the rule of law and combatting discrimination superseded the average across the bloc by eight and 10 points respectively.

The Eurobarometer study is held twice a year – between April and May and in the months of October and November – by the European Commission.

The survey is aimed at obtaining information about attitudes to political and social issues across the bloc.

Between October 12 and November 3, last year, 507 Maltese citizens were interviewed face-to-face for the study.

A total of 26,431 citizens took part across the union’s 27 member states.