A growing debate over Malta's housing situation has erupted between the Nationalist Party and the Labour Party, following new figures from the National Statistics Office (NSO) showing a sharp drop in home ownership and an increase in families choosing to rent.
The Nationalist Party (PN) expressed deep concern about what it described as a worsening crisis in housing affordability. According to the PN, the rate of home ownership has fallen from 78% in 2021 to 66% in 2024, while the number of families opting to rent has doubled in the past five years. The party also pointed out that more families are going into debt to purchase a home, with only 48% of households now owning their property without debt.
"Behind every number there is a person. Behind every statistic there is a family," the PN said, warning that "thousands of young people are seeing their dream of independent living vanish." The party urged the government to act urgently, claiming that only the privileged can now afford to buy property. It promised forward-looking policies aimed at restoring the dream of homeownership for Maltese and Gozitan families.
In response, the Labour Party (PL) accused the PN of misinterpreting statistics to create a misleading picture of the housing situation. The PL argued that the figures cited by the PN included foreigners temporarily residing in Malta, many of whom rent rather than buy. When focusing solely on Maltese citizens, the Labour Party said, the rate of homeownership stands at around 85%, showing that most Maltese families still own their homes.
The PL highlighted ongoing government measures designed to support new homeowners, including the First Time Buyers scheme and an annual €1,000 grant for ten years for those purchasing their first property. It also pointed to expanded affordable housing projects, such as the Renting to Assist scheme and new low-interest loan programmes for young couples.
"The Nationalist Party continues to spread negativity, while this Government delivers concrete measures to ensure that everyone in Malta has a safe, stable and dignified home," the Labour Party said.