Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1115758
16 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 12 MAY 2019 LABOUR and Nationalist party supporters agree that the most important issue for them in the European election is electing MEPs who will "defend Malta's name". This emerges from a Mal- taToday survey, which asked respondents to highlight the single most important issue for them in the election that will be held on 25 May. Defending Malta's name topped the list for both Labour and Nationalist voters and al- though the survey did not ask people to justify their choice, it is plausible both sets of vot- ers would have given different reasons. Of those who voted for the PL in the 2017 general election, 36.4% said electing MEPs will- ing to "defend Malta's name" was the more important issue. This is in line with the party's campaign message that casts Nationalist Party MEPs in a bad light for being critical of the Maltese government in the Eu- ropean Parliament. Of those who voted for the Nationalist Party in 2017, 14.4% identified the same issue. The matter topped the list but was far less pronounced. On the PN side, incumbent MEPs David Casa and Roberta Metsola have argued that their actions in the European Parlia- ment were intended to defend the Maltese from government corruption. The overall result shows that 26.2% of voters believe that electing MEPs who will defend Malta's name is the most im- portant issue. Another 20.9% could not identify a single issue. A breakdown of the results by party allegiance shows that voters tend to be in synch with their party's message. The second most important issue for PL voters (11.9%) is "showing support for govern- ment" and the third (9.4%) is il- legal immigration. On the PN side, the second most important issue (13.2%) is electing "capable MEPs", which falls in line with the party mes- sage focussing on the candi- dates. Issue All (%) MEPs ready to defend Malta's name 26.1% No particular issue 20.9% Capable MEPs 9.6% The environment 6.9% Illegal immigration 6.4% Support for the government 6.4% Corruption 4.1% Cost of living 4% Support for the Opposition 3.5% Construction inconvenience 3.4% Foreigners in Malta 2.6% Low wages 2.3% A message to the Opposition to change 2.1% Continuity 1.4% Property & rent prices 0.2% Traffic & roads 0.2% Third in line for PN voters (11.5%) was "environmental de- struction/the environment". The overall results show that the issue that ranked second was the election of "capable MEPs" (9.6%), followed by "en- vironmental destruction/the environment" (6.9%). The survey was conducted be- tween 25 April and 3 May. The first part of the survey results on voting intentions, trust rat- ing and MEP preference was published last Sunday. NEWS EUROPEAN ELECTIONS Most important issue MEPs who 'defend ALL Voted PL in 2017 Voted PN in 2017 Voted AD in 2017 Didn't vote in 2017 Voting PL now Voting PN now Male Female 18-35 36-50 51-65 65+ Primary Secondary Post Sec Tertiary Gozo Northern Northern Harbour South Eastern Southern Harbour Western Continuity 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 ALL Voted PL in 2017 Voted PN in 2017 Voted AD in 2017 Didn't vote in 2017 Voting PL now Voting PN now Male Female 18-35 36-50 51-65 65+ Primary Secondary Post Sec Tertiary Gozo Northern Northern Harbour South Eastern Southern Harbour Western 1.4% 2.7% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 3.1% 0.0% 2.1% 0.6% 0.5% 1.3% 2.4% 1.3% 1.6% 1.7% 0.0% 1.3% 0.0% 0.0% 1.8% 1.6% 3.0% 0.0% Corruption 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 ALL Voted PL in 2017 Voted PN in 2017 Voted AD in 2017 Didn't vote in 2017 Voting PL now Voting PN now Male Female 18-35 36-50 51-65 65+ Primary Secondary Post Sec Tertiary Gozo Northern Northern Harbour South Eastern Southern Harbour Western 4.1% 0.8% 8.8% 26.1% 0.0% 0.6% 5.9% 6.9% 0.9% 1.8% 10.4% 3.5% 0.0% 0.0% 3.0% 5.9% 7.4% 11.8% 7.4% 2.5% 3.0% 2.2% 4.7% Cost of living 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 ALL Voted PL in 2017 Voted PN in 2017 Voted AD in 2017 Didn't vote in 2017 Voting PL now Voting PN now Male Female 18-35 36-50 51-65 65+ Primary Secondary Post Sec Tertiary Gozo Northern Northern Harbour South Eastern Southern Harbour Western 4.0% 2.9% 5.0% 0.0% 6.2% 1.5% 6.4% 1.7% 6.6% 4.0% 1.2% 5.2% 5.9% 2.2% 5.1% 5.6% 2.0% 19.5% 1.1% 3.3% 4.1% 1.8% 3.0% Environmental destruction/the environment 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 ALL Voted PL in 2017 Voted PN in 2017 Voted AD in 2017 Didn't vote in 2017 Voting PL now Voting PN now Male Female 18-35 36-50 51-65 65+ Primary Secondary Post Sec Tertiary Gozo Northern Northern Harbour South Eastern Southern Harbour Western 6.9% 2.6% 11.5% 24.2% 3.8% 3.0% 11.0% 3.8% 10.3% 10.8% 5.7% 4.2% 5.9% 1.2% 3.6% 12.4% 12.9% 4.2% 12.7% 9.3% 4.1% 2.6% 5.9% Foreigners in Malta 60 Voted PL in 2017 Voted PN in 2017 Voted AD in 2017 Didn't vote in 2017 Voting PL Voting PN Male Female 18-35 36-50 51-65 Primary Secondary Post Tertiary Gozo Northern Northern Harbour South Eastern Southern Harbour Western Corruption 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 ALL Voted PL in 2017 Voted PN in 2017 Voted AD in 2017 Didn't vote in 2017 Voting PL now Voting PN now Male Female 18-35 36-50 51-65 65+ Primary Secondary Post Sec Tertiary Gozo Northern Northern Harbour South Eastern Southern Harbour Western 4.1% 0.8% 8.8% 26.1% 0.0% 0.6% 5.9% 6.9% 0.9% 1.8% 10.4% 3.5% 0.0% 0.0% 3.0% 5.9% 7.4% 11.8% 7.4% 2.5% 3.0% 2.2% 4.7% Cost of living 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 ALL Voted PL in 2017 Voted PN in 2017 Voted AD in 2017 Didn't vote in 2017 Voting PL now Voting PN now Male Female 18-35 36-50 51-65 65+ Primary Secondary Post Sec Tertiary Gozo Northern Northern Harbour South Eastern Southern Harbour Western 4.0% 2.9% 5.0% 0.0% 6.2% 1.5% 6.4% 1.7% 6.6% 4.0% 1.2% 5.2% 5.9% 2.2% 5.1% 5.6% 2.0% 19.5% 1.1% 3.3% 4.1% 1.8% 3.0% Environmental destruction/the environment 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 ALL Voted PL in 2017 Voted PN in 2017 Voted AD in 2017 Didn't vote in 2017 Voting PL now Voting PN now Male Female 18-35 36-50 51-65 65+ Primary Secondary Post Sec Tertiary Gozo Northern Northern Harbour South Eastern Southern Harbour Western 6.9% 2.6% 11.5% 24.2% 3.8% 3.0% 11.0% 3.8% 10.3% 10.8% 5.7% 4.2% 5.9% 1.2% 3.6% 12.4% 12.9% 4.2% 12.7% 9.3% 4.1% 2.6% 5.9% Foreigners in Malta 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 ALL Voted PL in 2017 Voted PN in 2017 Voted AD in 2017 Didn't vote in 2017 Voting PL now Voting PN now Male Female 18-35 36-50 51-65 65+ Primary Secondary Post Sec Tertiary Gozo Northern Northern Harbour South Eastern Southern Harbour Western 2.6% 1.3% 5.0% 0.0% 0.0% 1.0% 4.0% 2.5% 2.8% 5.5% 1.6% 0.9% 1.9% 0.0% 4.6% 3.9% 0.0% 6.0% 1.9% 0.7% 0.0% 6.8% 3.9% Immigration/illegal immigration 60 Voted PL in 2017 Voted PN in 2017 Voted AD in 2017 Didn't vote in 2017 Voting PL now Voting PN now Male Female 18-35 36-50 51-65 Primary Secondary Post Tertiary Gozo Northern Northern Harbour South Eastern Southern Harbour Western Foreigners in Malta 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 ALL Voted PL in 2017 Voted PN in 2017 Voted AD in 2017 Didn't vote in 2017 Voting PL now Voting PN now Male Female 18-35 36-50 51-65 65+ Primary Secondary Post Sec Tertiary Gozo Northern Northern Harbour South Eastern Southern Harbour Western 2.6% 1.3% 5.0% 0.0% 0.0% 1.0% 4.0% 2.5% 2.8% 5.5% 1.6% 0.9% 1.9% 0.0% 4.6% 3.9% 0.0% 6.0% 1.9% 0.7% 0.0% 6.8% 3.9% Immigration/illegal immigration 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 ALL Voted PL in 2017 Voted PN in 2017 Voted AD in 2017 Didn't vote in 2017 Voting PL now Voting PN now Male Female 18-35 36-50 51-65 65+ Primary Secondary Post Sec Tertiary Gozo Northern Northern Harbour South Eastern Southern Harbour Western 6.4% 9.4% 3.6% 20.1% 0.0% 7.1% 2.8% 6.6% 6.1% 7.9% 10.6% 4.9% 0.0% 2.2% 5.2% 8.8% 9.5% 7.8% 7.0% 9.3% 3.1% 5.6% 3.2% Low wages/wage that is not enough 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 ALL Voted PL in 2017 Voted PN in 2017 Voted AD in 2017 Didn't vote in 2017 Voting PL now Voting PN now Male Female 18-35 36-50 51-65 65+ Primary Secondary Post Sec Tertiary Gozo Northern Northern Harbour South Eastern Southern Harbour Western 2.3% 1.7% 3.6% 0.0% 0.0% 1.0% 5.0% 1.2% 3.6% 3.5% 2.6% 0.6% 2.7% 2.4% 1.9% 4.8% 1.7% 0.0% 0.9% 1.8% 1.1% 5.5% 3.4% MEPs who are ready to defend Malta's name 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 ALL Voted PL in 2017 Voted PN in 2017 Voted AD in 2017 Didn't vote in 2017 Voting PL now Voting PN now Male Female 18-35 36-50 51-65 65+ Primary Secondary Post Sec Tertiary Gozo Northern Northern Harbour South Eastern Southern Harbour Western 26.1% 36.4% 14.4% 0.0% 22.8% 40.9% 15.5% 27.9% 24.1% 19.2% 22.2% 33.8% 31.8% 34.6% 27.3% 22.4% 21.5% 28.4% 14.0% 26.5% 39.6% 19.9% 28.2% Property/Rent Prices 60 KURT SANSONE