Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/262615
maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 19 FEBRUARY 2014 News 4 JAMES DEBONO EDUCATION and Employment Minister Evarist Bartolo emerges as the second most popular minister among 18 to 34-year-olds where he gets an approval rating of 61%, just three points below family and social solidarity minister Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca. This emerges from a MaltaToday survey held among 400 respondents last week. The survey shows that while Bar- tolo appeals to younger respond- ents, Energy Minister Konrad Mizzi is considerably more popular among over-55s. Bartolo is also surpassed by Tourism Minister Karmenu Vel- la and Transport Minister Joe Mizzi among this older cohort of voters. Both Konrad Mizzi and Bartolo are slightly more popular among female respondents, while Vella is slightly more popular among males. Karmenu Vella is equally popular among all age groups, and among males, Vella emerges as the second most popular ,inister after Coleiro Preca and just above Evarist Bartolo and Konrad Mizzi. Coleiro Preca gets the best ap- proval rating among respondents of all age groups and both sexes while Gozo Minister Anton Refalo hits rock-bottom among all age groups and both sexes. Coleiro Preca is slightly more popular among 35 to 54-year-olds where she gets a positive rating from nearly two thirds of respondents and among males. Transport Minister Joe Mizzi is considerably more popular among over-55s where he emerges as the third most popular minister after Coleiro Preca and Konrad Mizzi. But while he gets a 58% approval rating among over 55-year-olds, his approval rating falls to just 43% among 35 to 54-year-olds. Finance Minister Edward Sci- cluna and Home Affairs Minister Manwel Mallia are markedly more appreciated among over 35-year- olds. While only 36% of the younger age group deem their performance as minister positive, both got a 49% approval rating among over 55 year olds. On the other hand, deputy prime minister Louis Grech gets a higher approval rating among younger re- spondents and females. Similarly, civil liberties minister Helena Dalli gets a better rating among younger respondents and females. The sharpest difference between males and females is found in the assessment of the performance of Health Minister Godfrey Farrugia. While only 38% of males deem Far- rugia's performance a positive one, his rating rises to 46% among fe- males. Environment Minister Leo Brincat also gets a more positive rating among females. On the other hand, Foreign Min- ister George Vella is considerably more popular among males and by older respondents. While Vella gets a 48% rating among males, his rating falls to 41% among females. Konrad Mizzi, Evarist Bartolo, Manwel Mallia, Helena Dalli, Joe Mizzi, Louis Grech, Godfrey Far- rugia and Leo Brincat get a better approval rating among females than among males. Marie Louise Coleiro Preca, Karmenu Vella, Edward Scicluna, George Vella, Chris Cardona and Anton Refalo are deemed to per- form better by males. Ministers' ratings: Bartolo gets 61% approval from young vote 18-34 35-54 55+ All Marie Louise Coleiro Preca 63.7 73.1 66 67.7 Konrad Mizzi 49.8 60.2 60 57.6 Evarist Bartolo 61.4 58.1 51.7 57 Karmenu Vella 54.5 55.9 53.8 55.7 Joe Mizzi 49.1 43.1 57.7 51.7 Edward Scicluna 36.4 46.1 49.4 45.7 Manwel Mallia 36.4 44.1 49.4 45.3 Helena Dalli 47.7 40.9 45.5 45 George Vella 34.1 44.1 47.4 44.7 Godfrey Farrugia 34.1 44.1 44.9 43.3 Chris Cardona 31.8 46.1 44.8 43 Louis Grech 45.5 43.1 41.7 43 Leo Brincat 34.1 44.1 42.3 42 Anton Refalo 31.8 30.1 38.5 34.3 Males Females All Marie Louise Coleiro Preca 68.9 66.8 67.7 Konrad Mizzi 54.1 59.3 57.6 Evarist Bartolo 55.3 57.8 57 Karmenu Vella 56.3 54.5 55.7 Joe Mizzi 47.6 52.9 51.7 Edward Scicluna 50.4 42.2 45.7 Manwel Mallia 42.7 46.5 45.3 Helena Dalli 42.7 45.5 45 George Vella 48.5 41.2 44.7 Godfrey Farrugia 38.1 46 43.3 Chris Cardona 43.7 41.7 43 Louis Grech 40.6 44.7 43 Leo Brincat 39 45.5 42 Anton Refalo 35.9 33.1 34.3 Tax money for political parties? No thanks! SHOULD political parties be sub- sidized by the State? No, to go by respondents of an online survey on www.maltato- day.com.mt: 1,873, or 69% say that taxpayers could end up funding anti-democratic or extremist par- ties who can also contest elections in democracies, so they should not be aided in running for power. The online poll was held over the course of a week in the wake of new party financing rules be- ing proposed by the Labour gov- ernment. State financing is not being pro- posed in the White Paper. But the mechanism is employed in other countries, such as Germany and Italy, which finances parties ac- cording to each vote they garner in national elections. The only form of support for state financing of parties came from 17% of respondents, or 468: they proposed that parties with over 2% of the national vote could get some form of funding. Another 13%, or 363, agreed with state financing as long as po- litical parties relinquish commer- cial interests like travel agencies or media houses. Both Labour and the National- ist parties have their own media houses, publishing arms, and even a travel agency in the case of the PN, which serve to finance the op- erations of the parties. But political parties also enjoy properties and land delegated to them from the state. YOUR FIRST CLICK OF THE DAY www.maltatoday.com.mt Evarist Bartolo Marie Louise Colerio Preca