Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1516098
18 SURVEY maltatoday | SUNDAY • 18 FEBRUARY 2024 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17 Gozo most optimistic region A regional breakdown suggests that Gozo in which 52% think the country is going in the right direc- tion, is the most optimistic region while the North Harbour, where 70% think the country has taken the wrong turn, is the most pessimistic. Of concern to Labour strategists is the mood in the Southeastern region where 69% (up from 65% in November) think the country has taken a wrong turn. As expected, Nationalist voters tend to be the most pessimistic. Among this cohort only 9% (down from 15% in November) believe that the country has taken a right turn. In contrast 85% of current Labour voters (up from 67% in November) think the country is on the right path. The mood among non-voters is slightly less gloomy than in Novem- ber, with the percentage who think that the country has taken a wrong turn decreasing from 77% to 73.5%. Cost of living overtakes foreigners as main concern As was the case in October infla- tion, the increase in the number of foreigners, traffic, corruption and construction remain the country's most pressing concerns. This represents a sharp reversal from the post 2013 political land- scape in which bread-and-butter issues had evaporated from the list of most pressing concerns following the reduction of utility bills, which along with inflation had topped the list under previous PN administra- tions. Government subsidies have kept concerns on utility bills negligible, but inflation triggered by global instability, has now overtaken all other concerns, including that on the growing number of foreigners, the country's main concern in Oc- tober. While concern on foreigners has decreased from 25% in October to 22% now, concern on inflation has increased from 24% to 29%. Corruption (up from 11% to 18%) has also overtaken traffic (down from 13% to 9%) as Malta's third most pressing concern. Concern on rampant construction and over de- velopment remains in fifth place at 6% down from 8% in October. Inflation concerns PL voters, corruption PN voters Significantly, concern on inflation has also overtaken concern on for- eigners among Labour voters. In this cohort preoccupation with inflation has shot up from 18% in October to 31% now. Concern on foreigners has on the other hand declined from 31% to 27%. But concern on foreigners remains higher among Labour (27%) vot- ers than among Nationalist voters (16%). Corruption remains the top con- cern among PN voters, increasing to 32% from 24% in October. This is followed by the cost of living, which clocks in at 26%, an increase of eight points since October. In contrast only 2% of PL voters think that corruption is the most pressing concern. But in a clear indication that cor- ruption is contributing to wide- spread disenchantment with the political system, 17% of non-voters think that corruption is the greatest problem facing Malta. Howevere, among non-voters the top concern is inflation (30%) followed by con- cern on foreigners (21%). Concern on traffic is highest among Labour voters (16%) while concern on construction and over development is highest among non-voters (8%). In a reversal of past trends Labour voters (6%) are also more concerned with construction than PN voters (4%). Affluent voters more concerned with corruption A breakdown by income shows that concern on corruption peaks at 30% among those earning a month- ly income of between €3,000 and €4,000. This category is also the most concerned about construction (18%) and the least concerned with the cost of living (13%). Concern on foreigners is highest among those earning between €1,000 and €2,000 (26%) while concern on inflation peaks at 32% among those earning less than €1,000. On a regional level concern on in- flation trumps all other concerns in all Maltese regions except the West- ern region where concern on for- eigners (27%) emerges as the most pressing issue. Concern on inflation is highest in the South Harbour re- gion (32.5%). A breakdown by age shows that concern on inflation is highest among those aged between 36 and 50, where it peaks at 32%. This co- hort is more likely to include re- spondents with dependent children. Concern on foreigners, peaks at 29% among those aged between 51 and 65. PN voters the most pessimistic