Maltese back common defence policy but shun defence spending

72% of Maltese support a common defence and security policy among all EU member states, up from 57% in Autumn 2024.

However, only 26% of Maltese mentioned defence and security when asked to name the two main areas where they would like the EU budget to be allocated.

The newly published Eurobarometer survey, conducted in April, found that support for a common defence and security policy has increased in 23 member states since Autumn 2024. The sharpest increases were recorded in Portugal (+17 percentage points), Malta (+15 points), and Sweden (+12 points).

Despite the increase, support for a common defence and security policy in Malta remains the fourth lowest in the EU, on par with fellow neutral Ireland and slightly higher than in Bulgaria, Romania, and Austria.

When asked to state their top two priorities for EU budget spending, only 26% of Maltese chose defence—compared to 48% who want increased spending on education, 43% on employment, public health and social affairs, and 31% on addressing climate change.

Across the EU, support for more defence and security spending has risen by 8 points since October 2024. Defence and security were the most frequently mentioned budget priority in 11 member states, with Denmark (68%) and Finland (65%) registering the highest figures. Overall, 43% of all EU respondents mentioned defence as budget priority.

In contrast, Maltese and Irish respondents were the second least likely to mention defence as a budget priority (26%), just ahead of Spain (24%).

Yet, concern about Europe’s defence and security is high among the Maltese. A total of 78% expressed concern about this issue over the next five years, including 37% who are “very concerned”—the highest level of deep concern recorded in any member state.

Positive sentiment toward the EU rises sharply

The percentage of Maltese who hold a positive view of the European Union has increased by 14 points—from 40% in October 2024 to 54% in April 2025, according to the same survey by the European Commission. Only 15% expressed a negative view, while 31% described their opinion as neutral.

This positive shift reflects a broader trend across the EU following the election of Donald Trump as U.S. President.

The highest levels of positive sentiment were recorded in Portugal (70%), Ireland (64%), and Denmark (63%), while the lowest were found in Greece (33%), Cyprus (30%), and Czechia (29%).

Trust in EU institutions is also strong in Malta, with 62% of Maltese respondents saying they trust the European Commission—well above the EU average of 52%. In addition, 66% of Maltese are optimistic about the EU’s future.

Top EU and local concerns: Ukraine, inflation, immigration

According to the Maltese public, the most important issues facing the EU are Russia’s invasion of Ukraine (35%) and the international situation (24%), followed by security and defence (22%) and immigration (16%).

At a national level, the most pressing concerns are inflation (35%), followed by immigration (20%), and the environment (18%).

The survey also reveals a widespread understanding of the global economic effects of tariffs. 86% of Maltese agree that increasing tariffs harms the global economy, but 80% also support introducing tariffs to counter those imposed by other countries.

49% trust national government

Malta is also among seven member states where a majority trust their national government. In Malta, 49% express trust in the government while 46% say they do not. The highest levels of national government trust were recorded in Luxembourg (74%), Denmark (65%), and Austria (54%).

The survey also shows that 72% of Maltese think that the national economy is doing good.  This was the fourth highest in Europe.  Only the Danes (91%), the Luxembourgers (84%) and the Dutch (78%) expressed a more favourable judgment on their national economy.