The number of Maltese remaining loyal to their party is shrinking, with two-thirds of Maltese saying they have always voted for the same party, 15% less than two years ago, according to the most recent State of the Nation survey.
The survey found that the percentage of people who say they have always voted for the same party dropped from 83% in the survey’s first edition in 2021 to 67% this year.
The findings from the third edition of the annual survey, commissioned by the Office of the President, were presented during a conference held at Verdala Palace on Friday morning.
Over 1,000 respondents participated in the survey carried out by statistician Vincent Marmará. Researchers say the study provides them with a snapshot of Maltese society and the beliefs and values that drive Maltese people.
The survey suggests that emotional and social ties to political parties are less strong than they used to be, with more people willing to switch their vote across different parties.
However, researchers say that this is the first edition of the survey that was not carried out during a pandemic or in the run-up to a general election, warning that it is possible that traditional political allegiances will grow stronger as an election approaches.
Cross-party movement on the rise
Whilst the first edition of the survey in 2021 found that only a quarter of the population would consider voting for a different party in the future and 55% ruled it out, this year’s edition paints a different picture.
This year’s survey found that the number of respondents who would consider switching parties is equal to those who said they will not, with both standing at 39%.
Unsurprisingly, younger people were more likely to cross parties, with 54% of those between 16 and 25 and 45% of people between 26 and 35 saying that they have not always voted for the same party. On the other hand, over three-quarters of people over the age of 56 claim to have always voted for the same party.
Income also plays a part in how likely people are to switch their vote. Almost two-thirds of high earners, defined as people who fall within the highest income tax band, said that they would consider voting for a different party. Low-income respondents, including those who said they are unemployed, are the least likely to switch parties or to not have always voted for the same party.
Gozitans are the most loyal to their party, with 78% saying that they have always voted for the same party, significantly higher than residents of Malta’s northern and western regions, where just over 55% of residents said they never switched parties.
Are the two main parties the same?
People appear to find it increasingly difficult to distinguish between Malta’s two main political parties, with over a quarter of respondents agreeing that the two parties are the same. This is an increase of five percentage points over last year.
Almost half of all respondents between the ages of 26 and 35 agree that the two parties are identical.
Meanwhile, the number of people who say that their preferred political party is aligned with their own ideas continues to slide, shrinking from 90% in 2021 to 79% today.
Nonetheless, 70% of people who participated in the survey say that they plan to vote in the next general election, with 11% saying that they do not intend to cast their vote. A further one in five respondents were undecided.
A recent Times of Malta survey found that the share of people who do not plan to vote had ballooned to 27%.
People between the ages of 46 and 55 appear to be the most uncertain of their vote, with only a little over half saying that they plan to vote.
On the other hand, over two-thirds of youths under 25 plan to vote, with only 7% saying that they do not intend to vote, less than any other age group.