The Nationalist Party has said that higher levels of anxiety among Maltese people, as shown in recent Eurobarometer results reflect a deteriorating quality of life in the country.

According to the party, the survey shows that Maltese people are more anxious than the European average, with three in every ten saying that anxiety is one of the emotions that best describes their current state.

The Nationalist Party said the results should serve as a serious warning to the government, arguing that every decision taken by the country's leadership should first consider its impact on people's quality of life.

It said the figures are not merely statistics, but an indication of how people are feeling in their everyday lives. The party linked the rise in anxiety to growing pressure from the cost of living, traffic, rents and property prices, pressure on public services, and what it described as an economic model focused on numbers rather than wellbeing.

The Nationalist Party said that Malta's success should not be measured only through economic indicators, but also through the quality of life of families, workers, young people and the elderly.

"An economy that grows on paper solves nothing for those who, in their daily lives, are feeling increasingly anxious," the party said.

The party said it will continue pushing for policies that put people first, including better wages, safer communities, a more serene environment, stronger public services and an economy that serves people rather than placing more pressure on them.

It said Malta needs a new direction that gives people a greater sense of peace of mind, in a country where they feel safe and serene rather than anxious.

The statement was signed by PN MPs Eve Borg Bonello and Ian Vassallo Hagi.