10 MaltaToday, Sunday, 3 May 2009 survey survey MaltaToday, Sunday, 3 May 2009 11 EU MEMBERSHIP – FIVE YEARS LATER Only 37.2% think we’re better off

James Debono in the PN, with 12% of those who voted PN in 2008 wanting Malta to leave the EU. Five years after EU member- EU funds are considered to ship, and only 37.2% think be the greatest advantage of EU Malta is faring better than it membership, closely followed was before membership. This by the right to work and study is what emerges from Mal- in other EU countries. FEBRUARY

taToday’s latest survey, which On the other hand inflation MAY APRIL also revealed another third of and the lack of assistance from M ar CH respondents think the country the EU to help face the chal- is actually faring worse, while lenge of illegal immigration are 19% have seen no change at all. perceived to be the top liabili- The least satisfied with the ties of membership. way the country is faring after While 5.7% consider the EU’s EU membership are respond- stricter environmental rules as ents with no university or the greatest advantage of mem- post-secondary education – an bership, 5% considered restric- indication that working class tions on hunting and trapping respondents are the least likely as the main liability of mem- to have seen any improvements bership. due to membership. And despite fears expressed Although only 37% have seen before the EU membership ref- the country’s situation improve erendum of an invasion of for- Most popular candidates with membership, an absolute eign workers from Sicily, only (as a % of respondents who have decided for which party they will vote for) majority of respondents (53%) 4.3% expressed concern on for- would like Malta to remain in eign workers or businesses op- Which party will you vote for in the MEP elections? (%) PARTY BAROMETER (%) the European Union. But 31% erating in Malta. Simon Busuttil (PN) 18.2 February March April May PL 26.3 would like to pull out of the Eu- The introduction of the euro is (PL) 7.4 PL 27.7 24.9 25.5 26.3 PN 19.9 ropean Union. seen as the major advantage of PN 15 17 18.7 19.9 Roberta Metsola Triccas (PN) 4.7 AD 2.7 Yet, a strong eurosceptic ele- membership by 4% of respond- AD 2.7 1.7 1.8 2.7 Louis Grech (PL) 4.1 AN 1.2 ment that wants Malta to leave ents and its greatest liability by AN 0 0.8 1 1.2 Not voting 6.8 the European Union persists in 7%. But the survey also shows Marlene Mizzi (PL) 4.1 Not voting 7.3 10.6 11.7 6.8 the . Despite the a complete lack of knowledge No answer 43.1 David Casa (PN) 3.4 No answer 46.5 44.4 41.7 43.1 PL’s acceptance of EU member- about the Lisbon Treaty, which ship, an overwhelming 66.3% of if approved by Ireland will in- Arnold Cassola (AD) 3.4 Claudette Abela Baldacchino (PL) 3.4 Excluding non-voters and undecided from sample (%) How the Maltese feel about the EU Joseph Cushcieri (PL) 3.4 John Attard Montalto (PL) 3.4 PL 52.5 37% say we’re faring better PN 39.7 AD 5.4 32% want Malta out of the EU (Candidates obtaining less than 3% are not included in list due to sample size of survey) 66% of Labour voters in 2008 want Malta out of the EU AN 2.4 Labour leads 5% say hunting restrictions were the greatest disadvantage 5.7% say better environmental laws are the greatest advantage Five years after EU membership, how is the country faring? (%) Voting intentions of respondents who would like Malta out 89% don’t know what the Treaty of Lisbon is about of the EU (%) 21% want Turkey to join the EU TOTAL By educational level 31% think MEPs don’t make any difference to the country – 52% PL voters 2008 PN voters 2008 MEP race disagree University Post-secondary Secondary Primary PL 56.7 74.2 5.5 Five weeks before d-day, MaltaToday’s Eurosceptic voters who want Malta out of Better 37.2 46.2 51.4 31 29.9 PN 1 1.1 59.3 latest opinion poll on the forthcoming Eu- the EU also intend not voting in June. Most Worse 35.7 26.9 29.7 40.6 45.5 AD - 0 2.2 ropean Parliament elections puts Labour of these respondents failed to declare who respondents who declared they volve the greatest overhaul of Same 18.6 13.5 10.8 19.4 15.6 voted Labour in the 2008 elec- the EU’s decision-making struc- AN - 0 1.1 ahead of the PN by six percentage points. they had voted for in last March’s election. Don’t know 8.5 13.5 8.1 9 9 tion would like to see Malta out ture since the Treaty of Rome. Not voting 8.2 1.1 6.6 At 26.3%, the Labour party has seen its ad- This could be an indication that even La- of the EU. The treaty will introduce No answer 34.1 23.6 25.3 vantage decrease by just 0.4%. bour faces an abstention problem. A smaller but still significant more qualified majority voting If you had the chance to vote in a referendum on whether Malta should remain Despite its attempt to attract disgruntled For the second consecutive time the sur- eurosceptic element also exists in the Council of the EU and an EU member, how would you vote? (%) voters by fielding candidates who openly vey shows that 5.5% of those PN voters in MLP frontrunners PN frontrunners an increased involvement of question government policies, the PN has the 2008 general election have switched (as a % of Labour voters) (as a % of PN voters) the in TOTAL PL voters 2008 PN voters 2008 only gained 1.2 percentage points, to reach sides and will now vote for the PL in the the 20% mark of support. forthcoming election. On the other hand, the legislative process is not To remain in the EU 53 20.7 81.3 Edward Scicluna 13.6 Simon Busuttil 45.8 The survey now shows Labour heading only 1% of PL voters in 2008 will be voting known to 90% of respond- To leave the EU 30.8 66.3 12.1 Louis Grech 7.4 Roberta Tedesco Triccas 11.9 towards an absolute majority in next June’s PN. ents. Don’t know 16.2 12.9 6.6 And 38% of respondents said Marlene Mizzi 7.4 David Casa 8.5 election. Support for third parties has increased they did not have an opinion Joseph Cushcieri 6.2 Claudette Abela Baldacchino 6.2 If we take just those voters who know from last month, with 2.7% choosing Al- on whether Turkey should be John Attard Montalto 6.2 who they will be voting for, the survey in- ternattiva Demokratika and 1.2% choosing accepted as an EU member. Greatest advantage of joining the EU (%) Do you know what the Lisbon dicates that 52.5% will vote Labour, while Azzjoni Nazzjonali. And while 41% opposed EU Treaty is about? (%) 39.7% have chosen the PN. When the undecided and non-voters are membership for Turkey, only EU funds 17.3 Still, a staggering 43.1% of overall re- taken out of the sample, AD manages to - Yes: it’s will change the spondents remain undecided or have re- score a respectable 5.4% and AN garners 21% approve of it. Can find work in EU 11.7 workings of the EU 9.3 fused to reveal their voting intentions, 2.4%. But this result is still a far cry from The absolute majority of re- Can study in EU 11 - A treaty which Ireland has suggesting a lack of enthusiasm for the the 9% AD scored in June 2004. spondents still consider their Better rights for citizen 7.7 not approved 1 forthcoming elections among many vot- Once again Edward Scicluna (PL) and MEPs to be useful for their Better environmental rules 5.7 - A treaty on the number of seats ers. Simon Busuttil (PN) are confirmed as the country. Only 31% agreed Euro 4 with the statement that each country should have 1 The number of those intending not to frontrunners of their respective parties. Liberalisation 1 vote decreased from 11.3% last month to The survey also shows Roberta Metsola “MEPs make no difference to - No idea 88.7 Malta”. 6.8%. Former Nationalist party voters pre- Triccas (PN) and PN incumbent David Ca- Greatest disadvantage of joining the EU? (%) vail among those who say they would not sa in a tight race for the PN’s second seat. be voting. While only 1.1% of the cohort The race for Labour’s second and third Should Turkey be accepted as ‘Malta’s MEPs make Cost of living increase 25.3 who said they voted Labour in 2008 will seat also remains tight with moderates no difference to the an EU member state? (%) not vote in the forthcoming MEP elec- Louis Grech and Marlene Mizzi enjoying No help on immigration 16.3 tions, 6.6% of PN voters said they would a slight advantage over John Attard Mon- country’ – do you Euro 6.7 agree? (%) Malta EU 25 not vote. talto, Claudette Abela Baldacchino and Hunting restrictions 5 (2005 poll) But the survey also shows that 8.2% of Joseph Cuschieri. Foreign workers/businesses 4.3 Yes 31 Yes 21.3 35 Unemployment 3.3 No 52 No 40.7 52 Methodology Too many regulations 2.3 Don’t know 17 Don’t know 38 13 The survey was held between Thursday 23 April and Wednesday 29 April. 452 respondents were contacted and 300 accepted to be interviewed. Results are weighed to reflect the age and sex distri- Big countries have greater say 1 bution of the population. The survey has a margin of error of +/-5.7%.