Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/670480
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 24 APRIL 2016 17 MaltaToday Survey According to how respondents voted in 2013 PN voters in 2013 PL voters in 2013 Switchers in 2013 83.2% 4% 2.2% 10.6% 4.2% 88.6% 1.8% 5.4% Trust Barometer April 2016 All respondents [change over March 2016] 42.6% (5.6p) 6.7% (-12.2p) 15.1% (4.5p) 33.3% 16.7% 10% 40% FEWER than a third of re- spondents want to keep Konrad Mizzi and Keith Schembri in their respec- tive official posts of Minis- ter for Energy and Health, and Chief of Staff in the Office of the Prime Minis- ter, following revelations that they had formed com- panies in Panama while in office. MaltaToday's survey shows that an absolute majority of respondents, 51%, want Mizzi to resign while 30% would keep him in office. The percentage who want Schembri out is slightly lower (49%) while 31% would keep him in of- fice. The survey also shows that one in five Labourites and two-thirds of switch- ers (respondents who voted PN in 2008 and PL in 2013) want the two close collabo- rators of the Prime Minis- ter to resign from office. Respondents did not make any distinction be- tween Konrad Mizzi and Keith Schembri when they were separately asked whether the two should re- sign or not. A greater percentage of respondents favour the resignation of Mizzi and Schembri than was the case with former home affairs minister Manuel Mallia in 2014. A survey in Novem- ber 2014 had shown that only 39% wanted Mallia to resign after an incident during which his security driver shot at a motorist who nicked the ministerial vehicle. That survey had al- so shown that 33% wanted Mallia to stay on while 25% were undecided. The survey also shows that the majority of Labour voters (over 63% in the case of Mizzi and 62% in the case of Schembri) want the two close collaborators of the PM to stay in their re- spective posts. But nearly one-fifth of Labour vot- ers want the resignation of both officials. Another fifth are undecided. PN voters are equivocal in demanding the resignation of the two officials. Only 1% of PN voters want Mizzi to remain in office while 3% are against Schembri's resignation. Two-thirds of switchers, that category of Labour voters who voted PN in the 2008 general election, also want the two officials to resign. This suggests that although a majority of PL voters want Mizzi and Schembri to stay, the vast majority of former Nation- alists who shifted to Labour in the last general election do not share this opin- ion. This scenario creates a problem for Muscat; for while ditching Mizzi and Schembri is not popular among PL voters, keeping them could alienate those switchers who want them out. Majority want Mizzi and Schembri out 35.6% (2.1p) All respondents PN voters PL voters Switchers 48.7% 31.2% 20.1% 91.6% 3% 5.4% 17.7% 61.5% 20.8% 63.7% 16.3% 20% Should Keith Schembri resign as the Prime Minister's chief of staff? Should Konrad Mizzi resign from his post as minister? 50.6% 29.8% 19.6% 92.8% 1.2% 6% 18.6% 62.8% 18.6% 66.7% 20% 13.3% All respondents PN voters PL voters Switchers