Maltese most optimistic in the EU on economy

Maltese are the most optimistic on their country’s economic prospects in what is an otherwise gloomy European outlook, a Eurobarometer survey shows.

Malta is the only EU state where a relative majority expect the economic situation in their country to get better in the next 12 months.

While 47% of Maltese expect the economic situation to improve, only 25% expect the situation to worsen.

The survey interviews were conducted in July before the announcement of cuts in government expenditure in Malta. Additionally, Maltese consumers have been shielded from rising energy and fuel prices by generous government subsidies.

In 25 EU member states a majority think the economic situation in their country will get worse in the next 12 months, with the highest levels of pessimism observed in Czechia (78%), Germany, Slovakia (both 70%), the Netherlands (69%) and Sweden (68%).

At least one quarter of respondents in each country think their national economic situation will get worse in the next 12 months. Respondents in Luxembourg, where 44% expect the situation to remain the same, are the second most optimistic after the Maltese. 

The survey also shows that 79% of the Maltese have a positive outlook on the current economic situation in their country. This represents an increase of 19 percentage points when compared to the winter survey.

Views on the current situation of the national economy vary dramatically across EU member states - from 85% in Luxembourg, who think the situation is good, to 8% in Greece who think likewise.

The majority of respondents in nine member states (down from 11 in winter) have a positive view, with the highest levels observed in Luxembourg (85%), Malta (79%) and Denmark (78%). At the other end of the scale 8% in Greece, 10% in Bulgaria and 16% in Spain have a positive outlook on the current economic situation in their country.

Trust in EU highest in Malta

The survey also shows that the Maltese are the most likely in Europe to trust the European Union.

Malta is one of 18 EU states where a majority of respondents say they trust the EU, with the highest levels seen in Malta (71%), Lithuania (69%), Portugal (68%), Denmark (65%) and Poland (64%).

The highest level of optimism about the future of the EU is seen in Ireland, Poland (both 83%) and Malta (82%) followed by Denmark (78%), Lithuania (74%), and Spain and Luxembourg (both 71%).

Maltese support military aid to Ukraine

Maltese overwhelmingly support military aid to Ukraine and sanctions against Russia

The survey shows that a vast majority of Maltese support the EU’s reaction to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Significantly, 85% of Maltese support the financing, supply and delivery of military equipment to Ukraine. 88% of Maltese support imposing economic sanctions on the Russian government and complicit companies and individuals, and 78% support banning state-owned media such as Sputnik and Russia Today from broadcasting in the EU.

Malta was also one of the 13 countries where support for a common defence and security policy among EU member states has increased, with the largest increase seen in Sweden (75%, +17 percentage points), Finland (78%, +8 pp), Poland (84%, +7 pp) and Malta (83%, +7 pp). 

Of the various actions taken by the EU regarding energy policies, the Maltese are the most likely to agree that ‘the EU should invest massively in renewable energies, such as wind and solar power’. Levels of agreement with investment in renewables are highest in Malta (97%), Cyprus (96%) and Denmark (95%) and lowest in Romania (71%) and Bulgaria (77%).

The Maltese are also the most likely to be ready to reduce their own energy consumption in view of the current crisis. Proportions range from 92% in Malta, 86% in Ireland and 84% in Cyprus and Luxembourg to 56% in Bulgaria, 64% in Latvia and 65% in Romania.

Eurobarometer snapshot

• 47% of Maltese believe economy will do well in next 12 months
• 79% of Maltese have positive outlook on current economic situation
• 71% of Maltese trust the EU
• 85% of Maltese support financing, supply and delivery of military equipment to Ukraine
• 88% of Maltese support economic sanctions against Russian government functionaries
• 83% of Maltese support a common EU defence and security policy
• 97% of Maltese agree EU should invest massively in renewable energy