Maltese happy to share European identity, survey finds

A Eurobarometer survey published today found two out of three Maltese citizens consider themselves to be both Maltese and European, in response to a question to 500 respondents about their national identity.

The survey, held back in July, found 60% of the Maltese respondents cherished both their national and European identities - well above the EU average of 43%.

On the other hand, 37% of respondents considered themselves to be simply Maltese, just a few points down from the EU average of 44%.

The research, carried out two years ahead of the 2014 European Parliament elections, reveals an inversion of trends over six months, with citizens from 20 EU member states increasingly seeing themselves only in terms of their national identity, rather than identifying themselves as being at once citizens of their country and Europeans.

But that trend is not followed in Malta.

The European Parliament Eurobarometer also found an overwhelming perception that the main elements of European identity were the values of freedom and democracy, with the Maltese (47%) again above the general EU average of 45%.

37% of Maltese respondents the European single currency was another element of European identity, following by European culture (33%) and history (22%).

Respondents also found the more practical aspects of life - jobs, welfare, and social services - were the more important parts of European citizenship.

For example, 37% of Maltese respondents (EU average 44%) said European citizenship would be strengthened by harmonising healthcare and pensions. Another 33% (EU: 24%) mentioned the right to live anywhere in the EU and vote in that country, while 30% (26%) said EU citizenship was stronger when the EU emergency services join forces in the event of natural disasters.

88% of Maltese respondents, an increase of three points over the last survey, now find the European Parliament to be totally important, while EU membership was according to 42% (an increase of 6 points) a totally positive aspect of their life.

38% were however neutral about EU membership and 18% found it negative - both cohorts had decreased by a few points since the last Eurobarometer.

According to respondents the role of the European Parliament at a time of crisis should be creating jobs and combating unemployment (EU 72%, Malta 56%), reducing Member States' public debt (EU 37%, Malta 50%) and increasing purchasing power and combating inflation (EU 35%, Malta 42%).

The survey is based on face-to-face interviews carried out in the first half of June 2012.