The front pages of a local newspaper yesterday brought us a survey which may be the most accurate electoral fortune teller of all.
A survey of Malta’s have and have nots, and perhaps also of Malta and Gozo’s might haves. With the latter there is everything to play for in terms of fighting for the hearts and minds of the floating-cum-undecided voters, those that might perceive they don’t have enough but might have more (or might end up with even less) if they vote blue or red.
Anyway let’s face it. Green issues like the overbuilding problem and the general unpopularity of Mepa will sway some voters, and a very important section at least for the Nationalist Party who should be courting them like mad because this time, like it or not, the votes of the Slimizi, the votes of the “puliti”, the votes of that dying breed – the English-speaking Maltese that have been taken for granted for way too long, are going to have a bearing on the election result.
However, most people only vote with their pockets.
They have to. Many of them do not have the luxury of worrying about our unsightly buildings or our not-too-functional planning system. They are too concerned with the hobz biz-zejt issues – paying all the bills that are now an acceptable and expected part of modern living, from air conditioning inflated electricity bills to survive the heat, to enough money for private lessons for the kids, from enough money to run the car to money for private health care which we sometimes go for without the real need to.
This survey reveals who feels they are one of Malta’s haves or of Malta’s have nots. The PN voters tend to be haves, or think they are. This was a survey about perceptions, not realities after all. The MLP voters tend to be, or perceive themselves to be have nots. All in all, there are more who perceive they are have nots than haves. This could point to an outright victory for Labour, unless of course, the PN can persuade enough of those who perceive they don’t have that they will have, or might have more in the future? Or conversely, since negative campaigning seems to be the order of the day, they will be even bigger have nots if the MLP are returned to power. The MLP on the other hand will continue working on the fear of the have nots or those who are borderline, and fear they will become have nots too very soon, that their standard of living will only reduce further if the PN are re-elected.
A massive 46 per cent of Malta Labour Party voters are saying they can’t cope with their bills till the next pay cheque. Only 23 per cent of PN voters are saying this, but of course this is an important percentage for the PN and does represent a significant section of disillusion for the them. I would have liked to have seen a bit more detail in the survey though. Like, how many of those who say they can’t cope or pensioners, or newlyweds, or those with teenage or young children, or from those who live alone or in big or small families, to see where the real trouble hot spots are, and where government can or cannot do something about it.
Even more interesting though, only 21 per cent of the undecided are saying they can’t reach the end of the month with a few cents to spare. So they are undecided either because they don’t want to say on the phone who they vote for (most likely), or because they don’t yet know who to vote for on issues other than bread and butter issues – issues ranging from grudges, to favours not delivered, from environmental grudges to perception of corruption. We need far more analysis of why the undecideds – the real undecideds not the shy ones – are unsure of who to vote for.
There were more inaccurate perceptions among the undecided. When asked if the economic situation is getting better or worse, a full 38.1 per cent said it was getting worse. Only 23.1 per cent thought it was getting better. Strange really when the economy is not doing badly at all, but few separate the economy from their own purse, so if people are feeling the pinch they tend to think the economy is doing badly which is not necessarily the case. This can’t just be down to the power of One News, though it must be a factor.
The same numbers percentage wise are holidaying abroad as they did last year, although there was a tiny increase. Roughly the same percentage is going to Gozo
Eating clearly looms large for us Maltese. The ability to go to a restaurant once a week is now on a par with a holiday abroad in terms of defining whether your life is good. While 38 per cent said they never eat out, 16.8 per cent do so every week, another 16 per cent every month and that boomingly rich four per cent more than once a week. These are Malta’s new elite – the ones who will probably still do well whoever gets elected. The rich tend to get richer and the poor relatively poorer – it’s almost inevitable.
Still it’s not as if not eating out makes us thin and svelte. The poor are also getting fatter and fatter, eating cheaper food, guzzling on foods like pastizzi, pizzas and burgers from local kiosks. Still we are not alone apparently. I read in a weekly review of the UK Times lately that the hour glass shape is officially dying. Women, like men, are getting larger and losing their waist, so whereas it was the norm to have a 10-inch difference between bust and waist or hip and waist this is now far less, and shrinking away whether we are skinnies or fatties.
We are a generation of wasters but we are not wasting away. Our waists are expanding, our waste also. Who we vote for, who can get us away from the tellies or computers or the cheap food to tick a box or two is still an unknown. Each side will be trying to persuade us of the smart choice to make in the coming months.
Judging by the surveys it looks like a free holiday, or maybe even some nice meals out, would swing it.
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