Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1527188
JAMES DEBONO jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt mt SURVEY maltatoday | SUNDAY • 29 SEPTEMBER 2024 nificantly, this region also regis- ters the highest abstention rate (30%). In contrast, the lowest abstention rate is registered in the PN-leaning Northern region (19%). ADPD registers its best score in the Western region (9%), which includes Żebbuġ, a locali- ty which recently elected its first independent mayor, and Attard, where the Greens are represent- ed on the local council. Other small parties peak in the South Harbour region, where they attract the support of 6.2% of the electorate. PN leads among young voters The survey shows the PN lead- ing by 4.5 points among 16- to 35-year-olds and by nine points among those aged between 51 and 65. However, the two big parties are running neck and neck among both 36- to 50-year- olds, where the PN leads by less than a point, and among over- 65-year-olds, where the PL is leading by less than half a point. Abstention peaks among younger voters. The results show that 34% of 16- to 35-year- olds will not vote, dropping to 31% among 36- to 50-year-olds and 20% among 51- to 65-year- olds. Among pensioners, abstention declines to just 13%. Support for third parties also peaks among 16- to 35-year- olds, where nearly a tenth intend to vote for ADPD (5%) or anoth- er small party (4%). The survey also finds the PN making inroads among respond- ents who did not attend univer- sity but followed post-secondary education, a category that leaned towards Labour in the past dec- ade. In this strategic category, where 28% intend to abstain, the PN is leading by five points. The PN's lead is more solid among the tertiary-educated, where the party commands the support of 46%, in contrast to Labour's abysmal 19%. Howev- er, in an indication that Labour still enjoys widespread work- ing-class support, the party leads by five points among those with a secondary level of education. Moreover, among those with a primary level of education – a category mostly composed of older respondents with a low level of education – support for Labour peaks at 61%. DESPITE the Labour Party trailing the PN in the polls, the performance of the government led by Robert Abela is still perceived as satisfactory by a majority of respondents. The Government Performance Barometer gives the ad- ministration a score of 2.6 out of 5, a slight improvement since May. Respondents were asked to rate the government led by Robert Abela on a scale from 0 (very negative) to 5 (very positive). This resulted in an average score of 2.6, slightly above the pass mark. Moreover, 61.3% of respondents gave the government a rating of 3 points or more, while only 38.7% rated the government at 2 points or lower. Not surprisingly, the government received its lowest score (1.8) among current PN voters and its highest score among current PL voters (3.8). Among the current group of non-voters, the government was rated at 2.4. A breakdown by age shows that the government is viewed most favourably by those aged over 65 and those under 35, both giving it a rating of 2.7. The government is judged most unfavourably by respondents in the 51- to 65-year-old bracket, who rate it at 2.4. Regionally, the government received its highest rating in the country's South-Eastern region (3.1), followed by Gozo (2.7), and its lowest rating in the Northern region (2.4). The government's relatively high score in Gozo is par- ticularly significant given the PL's declining fortunes in the region, where it has been overtaken by the PN in the latest survey. A breakdown by education shows the government re- ceiving its lowest rating among the tertiary educated (2.4), followed by the post-secondary educated (2.5). Its highest ratings come from the secondary educated (2.7) and those with a primary level of education (3.3). Women, who gave the government a score of 2.7, are also more positive than men, who gave the government an average performance rating of 2.5. Government scores 2.6 out of 5 on Performance Barometer Voting intentions by region Voting intentions of 2022 voters