The Nationalist Party has recently focused on the cost of living, holding a number of press conferences in which its exponents explained how rising expenses are affecting the people's quality of life and what the PN would do if elected to government.

In one of these events, the PN even had a trolley full of items that are bought regularly by the average family from supermarkets, and by which the party could compare costs today with those of five years ago.

The point of reference was a "shopping list" that had been compiled and published by the General Workers' Union newspaper l-orizzont in 2020. It is no coincidence that the PN resorted to this stunt. For many years, under Nationalist governments, the newspaper and the union which owns it were at the forefront of campaigns on the cost of living at the time. These days, both the GWU and its publications are not so vocal about rising costs as they were some time ago.

In its presentation last week, the PN said that the same items which were bought by l-orizzont five years ago now cost 37% more. In 2020, the items were bought for €65.98; nowadays the same items cost €90.56.

The PN pointed out that the calculation was based on discounted prices and special offers. If this was not taken into account, the cost of the same shopping list would have been up by nearly 46%. Wages and pensions have not gone up by the same percentage, the party remarked, and this is why more and more people are finding it harder to make ends meet.

The volatile situation in the Ukraine as well as the Covid-19 pandemic had led to a sharp rise in inflation in the years past. This has been brought down to more acceptable levels in the past months. But it is becoming clearer that families are spending more and more money on essential items, and for those in financial difficulty this probably means that they have to make do without them.

The PN said that the gap between the rich and the poor is growing, and that the government is being insensitive towards the issue. Both the government and the Labour Party have remained silent on the PN's position, a tacit admission that what the PN is saying is close to the truth.

For a time, the government had reached an agreement with a number of establishments to keep the prices stable for a few months. But this "Stabbilta" pact expired last October and it was not renewed, with the result that prices have shot up in the last four months.

In its presentation, the PN listed a number of measures that should be taken to address the situation, and one of them is the non-taxing of the cost of living adjustment increase, a move that the government has resisted in the past and on which it is unlikely that it will change position.

The government would do well to take note of what is happening.