Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1509248
18 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 8 OCTOBER 2023 SURVEY JAMES DEBONO IN a clear signal of widespread disillu- sionment with the political establish- ment, 40.9% of participants in MaltaTo- day's October survey trust neither of the two major leaders. Political agnostics who neither trust Robert Abela nor Bernard Grech are now a relative majority. The Prime Minister enjoys a trust rat- ing of 39.2%, while Grech trails far be- hind with 20%, a full 19 points behind the Prime Minister. Compared to July, Abela has practical- ly retained the same trust rating while Grech has seen his trust rating plummet from 27%. On the other hand, respondents who trust neither leader have shot up from 33% to 41%. PN's weakest link is Grech Moreover, in a sign that Bernard Grech's leadership remains on shaky ground, a staggering 43% of PN voters in the 2022 general election, trust nei- ther of the two political leaders. Grech's plummeting trust rating comes in the wake of mounting spec- ulation on his political future, follow- ing Roberta Metsola's address to party faithful during the Independence Day mass meeting. Even among respondents who cur- rently intend voting PN a substantial 34% trust neither Grech nor Abela. Only 50% of PN voters in 2022 trust their party leader more than Abela. Grech's poor trust rating suggests that he remains his party's weakest link in contrast to Abela who enjoys a higher level of trust among his party's voters. While 7% of PN voters in 2022 trust Abela more than Grech only 3% of PL voters in 2022 trust Grech more than the Prime Minister. This suggests that Grech is not only failing to make any significant inroads among Labour voters but that Abela enjoys a greater appeal among voters of the opposite party than Grech does. Labour distrust translates into non- voters Abela is also more trusted than Grech by non-voters in the 2022 election. In this category Abela's trust rating stands at 16%, while Grech only scrapes 5%. Robert Abela leads Bernard Grech by 19 points on the Trust Barometer • The PN leader's trust rating of 20% ref lects a low standing among PN voters • PN voters most distrustful of both leaders Trust Barometer: Abela trumps Grech Trust barometer by political allegiance