Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1491702
8 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 5 FEBRUARY 2023 NEWS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 This is the first time since the general election that the PL has seen its sup- port grow in MaltaToday's polls, even though the level of support is still five points less than last May. On the flipside, the PN continued with its erratic behaviour in the polls losing the momentum it gained in De- cember. Support for the PN dropped from 24.2% to 22.8%. The survey findings suggest the abor- tion controversy has had very little im- pact, if at all, on people's voting choic- es. The losses the PL has experienced go back a number of months, signal- ling something other than abortion as the reason, and in any case, the party has now experienced an uptick at the height of the controversy. On the other hand, the bounce ex- perienced by the PN in December has partially fizzled out despite the abor- tion issue still being on the agenda and Bernard Grech making it a rallying cry. Apathetic young voters The survey findings show the PL ahead of the PN among men and wom- en, all age groups and in five of the six regions. The race between the parties is tight- er among women, with the PL register- ing the support of 35% against the PN's 27.8% But the margin of difference is significantly higher among men with the PL scoring 42.5% against the PN'S 17.7%. Among young voters (16-35) the PL scores 25.6% against the PN's 17.6%. Young voters are also the cohort with the largest proportion of non-voters – 38.7% say they will not vote if an elec- tion is held now. The best results achieved by both parties are among pensioners, where political fatigue is almost inexistent – only 7.8% of those aged 65 and over say they will not vote. The PL enjoys the support of 55% of pensioners, while the PN scores 31.1%. The PN's worst performance is among those aged between 36 and 50, scoring 12.5%, against the PL's 26.3%. This co- hort of voters is also highly indifferent with 37.3% saying they will not vote. On a geographical basis, the PN only manages to emerge ahead in Gozo with 42% against the PL's 26.8%. In all other regions, the PL is ahead, posting its best result in the Southern Harbour region with 46.6%. The clos- est contest between the two major par- ties is in the Northern Harbour region with the PL scoring 33.9% against the PN's 27.2%. PN loses voters to PL Analysing the numbers by political allegiance shows that the PL retains 77.9% of its 2022 general election vot- ers, while the PN retains 67.3%. More PN voters than Labour voters are now inclined not to vote – 15.4% and 10.9% respectively. However, symptomatic of the PN's inability to attract voters to its fold, it loses more voters to Labour than it gains. The survey shows that only 0.9% of Labour voters will now vote for the Nationalists, while 2% of PN voters will vote PL is an election is held now. Non-voters in the 2022 election are the likeliest group to remain at home with 78.3% saying they will not vote. But the PL gains more from this group than the PN does – 4.2% of election 2022 non-voters say they will now vote PL, while 1% will vote PN. All subgroup numbers have to be in- terpreted with caution given the small- er sample sizes but the patterns that emerge largely reflect what has been happening over the past eight months. Labour reverses downward trend as PN slips The losses the PL has experienced go back a number of months, signalling something other than abortion as the reason, and in any case, the party has now experienced an uptick at the height of the controversy