Bread and butter issues influence how people vote

The cost of living and purchasing power are the two most important issues that determine the electoral choices voters make, MaltaToday’s survey gauging the nation’s mood shows.

Respondents were asked to identify the two issues most likely to influence their vote in the next election, and the results suggest inflation (10.1%) and spending power (9.3%) will be the most important considerations. Taken together, these two closely linked issues are mentioned by nearly a fifth of respondents.

These issues are closely followed by traffic (9%), the state of the economy (8.2%), population growth (8%), corruption (6.7%) and the environment (6%).

Other issues mentioned by more than 2% of respondents include healthcare (3.2%), construction and overdevelopment (2.9%), foreign workers (2.9%), and the need for continuity (2.4%).

Migration pressures

The results suggest that apart from bread-and-butter concerns, a sizeable share of respondents is worried about migration pressures. If population growth and foreign workers are grouped together, they would equate to 10.9%, rendering it the topmost rated issue that would determine how a person votes. Similarly, if the environment is combined with construction, the issue would climb up the rankings.

The survey suggests that concern about corruption, concentrated among PN voters, where it rises to 12.4%, is unlikely to sway voters supporting other parties.

Among current PN voters, inflation emerges as the most important electoral issue (12.9%), followed by corruption (12.4%), traffic (11.7%), population growth (10.3%), spending power (7.4%), the environment (7.1%), the economy (5.2%) and overdevelopment (5.1%).

Among PL voters, spending power emerges as the most important electoral issue (15.1%), followed by the economy (12.1%), the cost of living (8.9%), traffic (8%), and population growth (5.9%).

A large share of non-voters (38%) did not reply to this question, reflecting their stated intention not to vote. Among those who did respond, the cost of living (9.5%) emerges as the most important issue, followed by population growth (8.8%), traffic (5.7%), corruption (5.2%) and the economy (5%).

Inflation peaks among young

A demographic breakdown shows that electoral concern about inflation peaks among 16- to 35-year-olds (13.9%). This age group is also the most likely to cite traffic (11%), the economy (9.3%) and the environment (8.5%) as key issues.

Concern about population growth peaks among 36- to 50-year-olds (10.4%), while concern about spending power peaks among 51- to 65-year-olds (10.2%).

Among pensioners, the topmost determining factor is the cost of living (10.6%) followed by spending power (9.3%), corruption (8.9%), traffic (7.8%), population growth (7.6%), the economy (6.1%) and healthcare (5.3%).

A regional breakdown shows that the environment (12.1%) tops the list of electoral concerns in the Northern region. In this relatively affluent region, the economy (10.1%) is the second most critical issue that determines voters’ choices, followed by population growth (9.2%).

In Gozo, spending power (11.9%), the cost of living (11.3%) and the economy (10.5%) dominate the top three spots. Nonetheless, Gozitan voters are also the second likeliest after the Northern region to cite the environment (8%) as a matter that influences their vote.

In contrast, the cost of living and spending power dominate in Gozo (, the Northern Harbour, Western and Southern Harbour regions.

Traffic (11.4%) and population growth (9.4%) rank highest as issues of influence in the Labour-leaning South Eastern region.

The high share of respondents across most demographic groups who identify inflation and spending power as their main electoral concerns, followed by the state of the economy, is in line with the government’s current focus on policies such as energy subsidies and tax cuts. However, the survey also suggests that the government’s handling of the inflationary spiral resulting from the Iran war could become a decisive factor in the next election.