Public trust in the Maltese government is at its lowest ebb in five years, having fallen 13 percentage points since last Autumn, the results of the latest Eurobarometer survey show.
The survey also reveals a sharp increase in public concern over unemployment, while the cost of living, economic matters and immigration continue to dominate the national agenda.
Presented yesterday at the European delegation headquarters in Ta’ Xbiex, the latest national report on public opinion within the EU revealed that only 38 per cent of respondents have faith in the government, down from 51 per cent in the previous survey.
The survey paints a particularly bleak picture of the country’s finances, characterised by a large majority belief (73 per cent) that the Maltese economy is “in a bad state”, as well as an overwhelming preoccupation (nearly 80 per cent) with unemployment.
Unemployment has in fact risen from fourth to first place in the “most important issues” chart – possibly as a result of large scale job losses in the textiles industry in late 2005, as well as widespread uncertainty affecting the manufacturing sector as a whole.
Other possible factors for the decline in government popularity over the past eight months include the introduction of the electricity surcharge in October 2005, as well as the fact that the survey itself was conducted soon after the issue of revised utility bills in March 2006.
Just over half the respondents expressed dissatisfaction with their own personal finances, although perhaps ironically, 62 per cent of the same respondents said they were satisfied with their own personal quality of life.
Maltese and the EU
Elsewhere, the survey also reveals a steady decline in confidence in the structure and operations of the European Union. Support for the EU Constitution has fallen from 60 to 46 per cent, while support for European Monetary Union has also decreased.
It seems, however, that the Maltese have more faith in the EU as a whole than in the sum of its individual parts. Maltese confidence in EU institutions such as the European Parliament, Council and Commission have all decreased in the last five months, in some cases by over 10 per cent. Overall trust in the Union has also decreased, but remains higher than the trust enjoyed by European institutions, and also than the European average.
According to head of the European Union representation in Malta, Dr Joanna Drake, these findings suggest that while Maltese may have lost a degree of confidence in the EU, the majority remains optimistic that EU membership may yet translate into economic benefits in future.
Dr Drake’s interpretation is supported by a five per cent rise in the number of respondents who believe that their personal situation will improve in the near future, and also by the fact that most respondents attached positive connotations to the EU, associating the union with freedom of movement, increased global presence, democracy, peace and economic prosperity.
Immigration
Ostensibly, the immigration issue appears to have subsided as a major cause for concern among Maltese citizens, dropping from third to fourth place in the list of important issues.
However, as Eurobarometer national editor Robert Micallef pointed out, this may also be attributed to the fact that the survey was carried out in spring – i.e., during the so-called immigration “low season”.
Elsewhere, however, the disparity between Maltese and European attitudes towards immigration is inescapable.
A total of 43 per cent of Maltese respondents believe that “fighting illegal immigration” should be the EU’s top priority, compared to the European average of just 15 per cent.