The election is just a week away, and with both electoral programmes now launched to the public, the electoral campaign is reaching its climax.

The Labour Party launched its electoral manifesto on Friday, 15 May, with the Nationalist Party following with their electoral programme soon after on Monday, 18 May.

Both major party leaders Robert Abela and Alex Borg spent the first couple of weeks of the campaign on a whirlwind tour of the country announcing one measure after another - so the launch of the manifestos was bringing together the pieces of a puzzle, which had already been on the table.

A criticism often levelled at mainstream Maltese politics is that the two major parties have grown to be far too alike - but how true is that? If there's ever something to prove or disprove this notion, it's the respective party's vision for the country.

The Malta Independent on Sunday compared the PL's and PN's electoral visions, looking at 10 key topics, which will shape Malta's future, and at what each party proposes for each.

Economy

The two major parties take somewhat different approaches on the economy: the PL is more focused on building upon sectors which are already in existence, while the PN has come out with several ideas which would effectively mean the creation of new economic sectors.

The PL lays out its numerical vision for the economy more clearly: the party pledged to achieve 4% in GDP growth per year, and to keep the deficit under 3%. The PN's electoral programme does not include specific projections like this.

The PL places its focus on the digital economy, financial services, the maritime sector, aviation, quality tourism, and advanced manufacturing. The party also pledged a new regulatory framework for Web3 Innovation and for prediction markets too and a Logistics Hub at the Malta International Airport which would connect to the Freeport.

The PN, meanwhile, has pledged new economic pillars centred around AI, data, and New Space - with the latter being the subject of a new Space Activities Act and a New Space Unit within Malta Enterprise.

Furthermore, the PN pledged to develop an offshore fuel hub at Hurd's Bank. The party made this a flagship proposal, while the PL has derided it as a "petrol station in the middle of the sea". The PN has also proposed to create a cultural district in Marsa, featuring an expo centre and a concert hall.

In other areas, there is alignment: both parties pledged investments in assisting businesses embrace digital technology - although the PL's €100 million per year promise in this regard is more notable - and both parties appear conscious of struggles with regards to industrial land - the PL says there will be new rules for how this land is allocated, the PN promised at least 100 affordable industrial spaces for small businesses.

Both parties also intend to lean on Malta's eResidency scheme in order to attract foreign investors to set up digital businesses in Malta.

Social policy

Social measures are what underpins a good electoral programme, and both major parties have promised plenty over here.

The PL's flagship measure is a non-taxable so-called "super bonus" of €1,000 every year, for every Maltese worker. The party has dabbled with cheques disguised as tax refunds before, but this represents a level of handouts never previously seen in Maltese politics.

When it comes to pensions, both major parties promise an increase: the PL pledges an increase of €10 per week, including the COLA, every year - which is equivalent to €520 per year, while the PN has pledged an annual increase to pensions of €650, although it's not clear whether this figure includes the annual COLA increase or not.

Both parties have similar investment proposals for children too: the PN proposes a €5,000 grant in the form of a Child Trust Fund, while the PL followed suit later in the campaign by proposing a €5,000 Individual Learning Account spread across a decade which can be used for educational purposes.

Both the PL and PN also have proposals to increase maternity and paternity leave: both the PN and PL would up maternity leave to six months, while the PL would up paternity leave to one month and the PN to six weeks.

There are plenty of other measures from both sides which would take too long to summarise: but notable ones include six months government-paid parental leave from the PL and a guarantee that pensionable age will not increase from the PL, and a €2,000 grant for grandparents who take care of their grandchildren and a minimum wage-equivalent grant for students who are parents and aged up to 35 years old from the PN.

In the working world, both parties have also given attention to flexible working arrangements: both parties want talks on the right to request flexible work practices, while the PN went a step further and said that it would launch a pilot four-day work week project. The PL is also proposing another process to increase the minimum wage as of 2027.

Taxes

The PN's response to the PL's so-called "super bonus" comes in the taxation department.

The party is proposing to reduce income tax and widen tax bands to guarantee that each individual gets an annual tax cut of at least €1,200, and is also proposing an annual adjustment to tax bands to ensure that the annual COLA is not taxed.

The PN's flagship proposal in this sector however is the abolition of Malta's inheritance tax. This would see the removal of stamp duty on inherited property, inherited family business, and property donations from parents to children.

The PL responded later in the campaign with a few of its own ideas: reduction of stamp duty from 5% to 1.5% in the case of transfer of family businesses within the same family, and reductions to the causa mortis tax as well.

Both parties then have proposals to lower the corporate tax rate. The PL would decrease it from 35% to 25% for companies with less than €1 million in turnover, while the PN would reduce it for micro and small enterprises.

On part-time work, the PL would increase the threshold under which a 10% tax rate applies from €10,000 to €15,000, while the PN would remove taxes on the first €10,000 altogether.

The PL proposes a tax exemption on the first €30,000 of income for a youth in the first three years of them working, while the PN promises five years of completely tax-free income for youths to be taken at any point in the first 10 years of their working life.

Health

The health sector is one of the areas where the two parties diverge most significantly, with the PL and the PN adopting different philosophies for how it should be handled.

The PN made this sector one of its key areas, dedicating the first week of the electoral campaign almost exclusively to ideas related to it. Their health philosophy is built around creating a network of hospitals across the country.

This means expanding Mater Dei Hospital, building a new hospital in the north of the island, expanding the new Paola Health Hub to become a fully-fledged hospital, and building a brand new Gozo General Hospital.

The party is also proposing the construction of a National Health Park in Selmun, a new medical school for the University of Malta, and making the Victoria Health Clinic open on a 24/7 basis. Adding to that, the PN has pledged that all cancer medication will be made free, and health sector workers will get a new collective agreement within the first 100 days of the PN's new administration, should it be elected.

It's evident from the PL's manifesto that the party prefers the de-centralised approach to the sector. Some of its main proposals, in fact, are to have the Health Centres in Qormi, Gzira, and Victoria able to open on a 24/7 basis, and to build new Health Centres in Qrendi and Ta' Giorni.

There are then proposals for a re-fit to St Luke's Hospital: it would feature a National Genetics Centre, a one-stop-shop for Outpatients, the Dental Care Department, the Rehabilitation Unit, and it would also include an Ambulatory Care Surgical Hospital.

The PL is also proposing to double the space at Mater Dei Hospital's Accident & Emergency Unit and expand its Intensive Care Unit by 40%. Furthermore, the party would - like the PN - build a new 400-bed hospital in Gozo, and it also proposes a new 300-bed Intermediary Hospital at St Vincent de Paule.

The PL has also proposed to take on the financial responsibility for all the medicines which are offered by the Malta Community Chest Fund, and has also pledged fully-funded therapy for children under the age of 18, and a referendum on euthanasia.

Housing

On housing, a lot of the proposals centre on the First Time Buyers' Scheme.

The PL proposes to increase the stamp duty exemption as part of this scheme from €200,000 to €300,000, while the PN proposes to increase it to €350,000. The PL meanwhile also wants to expand the scheme so that people who have undergone a separation would be considered as first-time buyers as well, while the PN would pay back half the interest paid in the first decade by first-time buyers.

Both parties propose assistance with the initial purchase of the property too: the PL proposes an interest-free loan for 25% of the property value, while the PN proposes to pay the home's 10% deposit on an interest-free loan, which can be repaid over the course of 40 years.

Both parties also give some attention to social housing: the PL pledges 700 new social housing units, while the PN also wants to increase the stock of social housing, though it does not say by how much. The PN also proposes the creation of a Social Housing Market within its first year, so housing can remain a social right.

Transport

Traffic is one of the country's biggest concerns at the moment, and both parties have recognised that by committing to ideas for a new mass transit system.

The PN has been the boldest: a mass rapid transport system that will be free for residents and will have an 11.5km mostly underground line up and running within five years.

For the PL meanwhile, it's not the first election that a mass transport system has been on its manifesto. This time, the PL proposes a hybrid rapid transit system running from the Malta International Airport to St Paul's Bay with stops in between.

Elsewhere, the PN is proposing a reform to road licences that would result in lower charges for people who use their cars less frequently, while the PL places a lot of emphasis on different modes of transport such as buses and ferries and also proposes the removal of the licence fee for motorcycles which are under 350cc.

The PL proposes new parking areas with shuttle buses in Paola, Cospicua, Sliema, and Marsaskala, a flyover at Tal-Barrani, a new tunnel at Bir id-Deheb, and a new tunnel at L-Imghallaq in Qormi. The PN doesn't mention any specific road infrastructure projects in its electoral programme.

Environment & Planning

The environment and planning sector is an area where both parties will be keen to impress with their proposals, even if they are not perceived to hold any great credibility here.

The PL pledged to introduce a law blocking developments during an appeal within the first months of the legislature. This is a proposal which actually was already on the table - but only as part of wide-reaching reforms which activists described as a "developer's wishlist".

The PL has also promised to introduce a process through which an application can be flagged as an "absolute non-starter" from the get go, and it has also pledged to expand the Urban Conservation Area and introduce buffer zones around them. The party also promised to introduce floor markings to mark areas for outdoor tables and chairs and for permits for repeat offenders to be revoked, and to split the Environment and Planning Review Tribunal into two separate bodies.

The PN meanwhile propose that removing protection of Outside Development Zone land would require a two-third majority vote in Parliament and also pledged a new law to define standards for a park and green open space. Furthermore, the PN would give the ERA veto power in applications concerning ODZ land, and also pledges a law that would freeze construction works when an application is subject to appeal.

Both parties have pledged to review Malta and Gozo's local plans.

On the environment, the PL promises that White Rocks would not be subject to development and would be focused on education, research, and recreation, while Manoel Island would be for parks, sports and meditation. The party also reiterated two promises from past manifestos: the pedestrianisation of San Gwann's centre, and the roofing of Regional Road in Santa Venera.

The PN meanwhile pledges €26 million towards the creation of a 16,000 square metre park, civic centre, and parking facility in Santa Venera, and also pledges to introduce statutory limits for noise pollution.

Energy

In the energy sector, the key point is undoubtedly that both parties are proposing to retain the current subsidies on fuel, gas, and electricity. When it comes to electricity bills, the PN has been bold and proposed cutting people's electricity bills by removing meter rental fees and by revising unit bands. This, the PN has said, will result in savings of around 30%. Also related to the energy sector, the PN has proposed removing the LNG tanker from Marsaxlokk.

As far as energy generation goes, both the PL and the PN are swimming very much within the same circles.

The PL proposed the creation of a 300 megawatt offshore windfarm and a third interconnector by 2035, while also proposing a hydrogen-ready gas pipeline using EU funds, and a solar farm out at sea. The party also proposes a scheme allowing families who do not have any airspace in their property to be able to buy into solar energy as well.

The PN meanwhile targets having 30% of Malta's energy generated through renewable sources and for Malta to be carbon neutral by 2050. The PL also maintains the latter as a target, but did not list a fixed target for renewable energy generation.

The PN is also proposing an emphasis on solar panels, particularly via solar canopies in car parks and on industrial and public buildings, and the party proposed a floating offshore wind farm as well. The party pledged that it would also look into the possibility of a third and fourth interconnector, even potentially with North Africa.

Both parties are also proposing legislation on solar rights - a concept designed to protect those who invest in solar panels if a neighbouring development later renders them ineffective.

Governance

Governance is an area which both parties have, strangely, steered very well clear of - and indeed neither manifesto really upsets the apple cart too much.

Most noteworthy are the PN's proposals to establish an Independent Public Procurement Authority, create a "Population Authority", and introduce a national plan with clear aims on the investigation and prosecution of corruption cases.

The PL meanwhile has pledged a discussion on possibly reducing the number of electoral districts in Malta.

Both parties pledge to guarantee 40% minority gender representation on publicly-appointed boards and committees, and both parties pledge changes in how the Chief Justice is appointed - though the PN says that it would get the judiciary involved, and the PL is unclear in how it would go about it.

Reforms to court proceedings are also promised by both sides.

The PL would reform the Family Court, create a new sentencing policy to ensure uniformity, expedite libel proceedings, and ensure that compilations of evidence conclude within a year, among other ideas. The PN meanwhile also pledges a significant Family Court reform, a new law on Unexplained Wealth, and more effective whistleblower protection.

Finally in terms of Parliament, neither party has explicitly spoken in favour of turning MPs into full-timers, although the PN proposes to have "more professional" MPs. There are also parallel proposals on ethics and ethics declarations for MPs - but one suspects that both parties will have different opinions on how to go about those.

Gozo

Both parties seemed to be competing for how many proposals they would have for Gozo: the PL has 100, and the PN immediately after said that it had 110.

The key proposals in both manifestos though concern connectivity between Malta and Gozo. The idea of a permanent link has been officially done away with and does not feature in either programme, but both parties push for major investment in maritime transport.

The PN is proposing to invest in two brand new Gozo Channel ferries by 2029, while the PL pledged €130 million to increase the Gozo Channel fleet to five vessels.

The PN is also proposing an expansion to the Mgarr Harbour together with a new quay - it's unclear where - for boutique cruise liners. The PL meanwhile wants Marsalforn to host a terminal for the Fast Ferry, with both parties proposing the building of a breakwater there.

Both parties would also restart the mercantile route between Malta and Gozo - but the PN's route would run to the Grand Harbour, and the PL's route would run to the Freeport.

Education

In education, the two parties are again largely swimming in the same circles.

Both the PL and the PN promise to revise and update the national school curricula, both pledge to review the School Based Assessment model - although the PL says it wants to build on it, and the PN says it wants to reform it, and both aim to lower Malta's early school leaving rate - the PL wants to bring it down from 8.6% to 8%, while the PN doesn't stipulate any targets.

Both parties are also proposing to increase stipends: the PL wants to up it by 15%, while the PN is promising to up it by 25%. The PN is also proposing that the stipend for students reading for any health-related course would increase to be the equivalent of the minimum wage. The PL meanwhile is proposing a €1,000 grant for students who go abroad on an Erasmus+ exchange.

On infrastructure, one of the PN's key measures here is to set up a national secondary school for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (Steam), to build Regional Skills Hubs and to build a new school every year.

The PL, meanwhile, would launch a programme that would see the modernisation of 100 schools in the space of 13 years, work to renovate and improve Giovanni Curmi Higher Secondary in Naxxar, and conclude works on new schools in Mellieha and Naxxar.