PN published its manifesto: Here is a breakdown

The Nationalist Party last week published its electoral programme titled Nifs Ġdid. The document is divided in 16 chapters covering various aspects of life and governance. Below are some key proposals:

1. ECONOMY

• A shift to high-value sectors: Transitioning Malta’s economic model away from a reliance on sheer population growth and toward high-value, knowledge-based industries like digital technology, artificial intelligence, and specialised manufacturing.
• Creation of new economic pillars: Direct investment and regulatory support to foster emerging sectors, including the blue economy (maritime), green technology, and advanced aviation services.
• Tax relief and incentives: Implementing targeted tax reductions for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and specialised startups to stimulate local entrepreneurship and attract foreign direct investment (FDI).
• Infrastructure for commerce: Upgrading industrial zones and business parks with modern, sustainable infrastructure to lower operational costs and improve logistical efficiency.

2. FINANCE AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

• Restoring international reputation: Executing rigorous compliance and governance reforms to solidify Malta’s standing within international financial institutions, ensuring the jurisdiction remains stable and attractive.
• Combatting bureaucracy: Streamlining the banking and due diligence processes for local businesses and citizens by introducing a centralised, efficient know-your-customer (KYC) system to cut red tape.
• Fiscal responsibility: A commitment to reducing the national deficit and national debt through disciplined public spending, optimising the return on public investments.
• Support for financial services sector: Modernising regulatory to provide faster, more agile licensing procedures for fintech, insurance, and wealth management firms.

3. INFRASTRUCTURE AND TRANSPORT

• Mass transit system: Initiating a comprehensive, multi-phase mass transit project to serve as the backbone of Malta’s public transportation.
• Alternative and active mobility: Investing heavily in segregated bicycle lanes, pedestrianised pathways, and safe urban corridors to decrease private vehicle dependency.
• Road network optimisation: Redesigning critical bottlenecks and junctions with an emphasis on safety, smart traffic management technology, and long-term durability.
• Maritime connectivity: Expanding the internal ferry network between seaside localities to offer a viable, fast alternative to road commuting.

4. ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE

• Urban green enclaves: Purchasing private lands in urban cores to convert them into public parks, gardens, and green spaces for communities.
• Carbon neutrality targets: Accelerating the transition to renewable energy sources by offering aggressive subsidies for residential and commercial solar installations and offshore clean energy projects.
• Afforestation and biodiversity: Launching a nationwide afforestation strategy, prioritising the planting of indigenous trees and the ecological restoration of valleys.
• Planning reforms: Overhauling planning policies to curb over-development, protect rural areas (ODZ), and preserve traditional Maltese architectural aesthetics.

5. HEALTH

• Mental health reform: Integrating mental health services entirely into the main healthcare ecosystem, constructing a new acute mental health hospital near Mater Dei, and modernising Mount Carmel Hospital.
• Hospitals: Build new hospitals in Gozo and the north of Malta, extend the Paola Censu Moran facility into a hospital and extend Mater Dei Hospital
• Primary and community care: Strengthening regional health hubs and local clinics to offer advanced diagnostic services closer to patients’ homes, reducing pressure on the main general hospital.
• Preventative healthcare programmes: Launching nationwide, funded initiatives targeting obesity, cardiovascular health, and early cancer screenings.

6. EDUCATION

• Teaching profession: Substantially increasing the salaries and improving the working conditions of educators to make the profession attractive to top-tier talent.
• Modernisation of curricula: Shifting the focus of primary and secondary education toward critical thinking, digital literacy, financial education, and soft skills rather than pure rote learning.
• School infrastructure overhaul: Embarking on a nationwide refurbishment programme to transform schools into modern, climate-controlled, and digitally integrated learning environments.
• Lifelong learning: Providing fully funded retraining €1,000 vouchers extendable every three years for adult workers to learn new skills.

7. SOCIAL POLICY, FAMILY AND PENSIONS

• Pensions: Restructuring the pension system to ensure the national minimum pension matches the actual cost of living, protecting senior citizens from the risk of poverty.
• Work-life balance: Introducing fiscal incentives for companies that implement flexible working arrangements, remote working, and paternal leave options beyond the legal minimums.
• Affordable housing schemes: Expanding the social housing stock and partnering with the private sector to offer affordable, long-term rental options for young couples and low-income earners.
• Combatting modern poverty: Strengthening targeted social benefits for vulnerable cohorts, including single-parent households and individuals living with severe disabilities.

8. SECURITY, JUSTICE AND HOME AFFAIRS

• Community policing expansion: Deploying a visible, dedicated community policing presence across all towns and villages in Malta and Gozo to deter crime and improve localised public safety.
• Efficiency in the justice system: Digitising court registries, appointing more members to the judiciary, and modernising legal procedures to drastically reduce the duration of civil and criminal court cases.
• Law enforcement modernisation: Upgrading the equipment, offer specialised training, and improve salaries of the Police Force, Civil Protection Department, and Correctional Services.
• Joint task force: Set up a joint task force between the police and the army to combat drug trafficking, irregular migration and other cross border crimes.

9. TOURISM

• Quality over quantity: Re-orienting the national tourism strategy to attract high-spending tourists interested in culture, heritage, gastronomy, and sports.
• Niche tourism: Allocate specific budgets to promote medical tourism, conference (MICE) tourism, and off-peak eco-tourism, particularly in Gozo.
• Upgrading product Malta: Implementing strict cleanliness, maintenance, and aesthetic standards across major touristic hubs like Sliema, St Julian’s, Buġibba, and Valletta.
• Support for the hospitality workforce: Introducing specialised training programmes through the Institute of Tourism Studies (ITS) to upskill the local hospitality workforce and raise service standards.

10. CULTURE, YOUTH AND SPORT

• Direct funding for the arts: Increasing the national budget for independent artists, theatrical productions, and cultural startups to foster a vibrant creative industry.
• Sports infrastructure of excellence: Building state-of-the-art facilities for a variety of indoor and outdoor sports disciplines, enabling Malta to host high-tier international competitions.
• Preservation of heritage: Injecting significant public funds into the restoration of historic fortifications, towers, and village cores, ensuring they remain accessible to the public.
• PORT project: Build a national hall and expo centre in Marsa to serve as a focal point for artists and an attraction for international events.

11. GOZO AS A DISTINCT REGION

• Regional autonomy and governance: Granting increased decision-making powers and legislative autonomy to a regional Gozo council to ensure policies are tailored to the island’s unique needs.
• Eco-island strategy: Enforcing strict environmental protection codes to preserve Gozo’s rural charm, while transforming it into a pilot hub for renewable energy and zero-emission transit.
• A dedicated hospital: Building a new, fully equipped general hospital in Gozo that offers specialised acute care services, eliminating the frequent need for patients to travel to Malta.
• Economic diversification: Introducing specific tax credits for digital and tech-driven companies that open offices in Gozo, creating high-quality career paths for local youth.

12. GOVERNANCE AND RULE OF LAW

• Constitutional separation of powers: Implementing constitutional reforms to limit the executive power of the prime minister, particularly regarding appointments to independent watchdogs and judicial positions.
• Strengthening independent institutions: Guaranteeing complete financial and administrative autonomy for institutions like the National Audit Office, the Ombudsman, and the Permanent Commission Against Corruption.
• Whistleblower protection: Overhauling existing legislation to provide genuine, airtight legal protection and institutional support for individuals who expose corruption within public and private sectors.
• Freedom of Information reform: Amending the FOI Act to eliminate systemic public sector delays and unjustified refusals, ensuring true transparency in government contracts and agreements.

13. ENERGY AND WATER

• Second interconnector: Accelerating the construction of the second subsea electricity interconnector to mainland Europe to guarantee stability of supply and meet growing demand.
• Offshore clean energy farms: Launching public-private partnerships for floating offshore wind and solar farms within Malta's exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
• Water scarcity: Investing in advanced technology for groundwater replenishment and upgrading reverse osmosis plants to ensure long-term, high-quality water security.
• Distribution grid overhaul: Directing heavy capital expenditure toward upgrading the internal distribution grid (substations and cables) to put an end to seasonal power outages.

14. AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES

• Protection of agricultural land: Introducing legal safeguards to prevent active agricultural land from being developed or repurposed for non-farming uses.
• Financial support for young farmers: Providing capital grants, low-interest loans, and technical mentorship schemes to encourage younger generations to enter the farming and livestock industries.
• Modernising fish markets and ports: Upgrading the infrastructure at traditional fishing ports, such as Marsaxlokk and Marsaskala, and enhancing refrigeration and distribution facilities at the fish market.
• Promoting local produce: Launching funded national marketing campaigns and establishing certified supply chains to give Maltese agricultural and maritime products a competitive edge in retail and hospitality markets.

15. DIGITAL SECTOR AND INNOVATION

• National AI integration: Launching structured public frameworks to safely incorporate Artificial Intelligence into healthcare diagnostics, traffic management, and educational personalisation.
• Universal high-speed connectivity: Partnering with telecommunications providers to ensure 100% nationwide coverage of ultra-fast fiber-optic broadband and advanced 5G networks.
• Cybersecurity: Setting up a specialised National Cybersecurity Agency to safeguard critical public infrastructure, businesses, and citizen data.

16. FOREIGN POLICY AND THE EU

• Active and strategic EU participation: Maximising Malta’s influence within EU institutions by proactively aligning national interests with key European policy dossiers, particularly regarding maritime security and Mediterranean affairs.
• Strengthening commercial diplomacy: Repositioning Malta’s embassies and diplomatic missions abroad to act as aggressive hubs for trade promotion, economic diplomacy, and FDI attraction.
• Advocacy for island states: Leading diplomatic coalitions within the EU and the UN to champion the unique climate, economic, and logistical challenges faced by small island nations.
• Consolidating Mediterranean relations: Strengthening bilateral political, environmental, and security partnerships with North African and Middle Eastern neighbors to foster regional stability.