Malta’s Budget 2025: Public Calls For Wage Structure Review And Food Price Control As Top Priorities
As the much-anticipated Budget 2025 approaches, a recent survey conducted by IDEA Consulting, through their MaltaSurvey.com platform, has revealed key concerns and expectations of the Maltese public.
The Budget 2025 Expectations Report gathered insights from 862 participants between 3rd and 14th October, reflecting the sentiments of Malta’s electorate.
Top Priorities for Budget 2025
Unsurprisingly, wage structure review topped the list of priorities, with 27% of respondents indicating that they want the government to address this issue. This was followed closely by the need for stable food prices (21.3%), and more favourable tax bands for employees (18%). These concerns highlight the public’s focus on tackling the rising cost of living, ensuring that wages keep pace with inflation, and addressing tax burdens.
Food Prices: A Recurring Concern
Food price control remained a dominant concern, also ranking as the most popular second and third priority among respondents. As seen in previous years, the Maltese public remains highly sensitive to the volatility of food prices, reinforcing its importance as a pressing issue for Budget 2025.
Government Spending & Deficit Reduction
When it comes to addressing Malta’s budget deficit, the public overwhelmingly supported a reduction in government spending on agencies and authorities (39%), alongside calls for stricter means testing for social benefits (30.6%). Both measures reflect a broader sentiment that government spending needs to be more efficiently managed and that social benefit schemes require closer scrutiny to avoid potential abuse.
Economic Sectors Needing Focus
Health, environment, and education once again emerged as the most critical sectors requiring emphasis in Budget 2025. Notably, 45.2% of respondents ranked health as the top priority, showing a marked increase in concern for the sector. The environment also gained ground, with 17.9% selecting it as their first priority, while education, though slightly less prioritised, remains a top concern.
Sentiment on Budget 2025’s Effectiveness
Confidence in Budget 2025 remains mixed. While 7.4% of respondents expressed high confidence, a significant 31.4% are not very confident that the upcoming budget will meet their expectations. However, there is a slight decrease in those who are “Not at all Confident,” showing that some cautious optimism may be brewing.
As Budget 2025 nears with it being presented on Monday 28th October, it is clear that the Maltese public is placing substantial emphasis on addressing cost-of-living issues, with particular focus on wage adjustments and food price stability.
The government will need to balance these concerns with the broader challenge of managing its spending and the national deficit. All eyes are now on the upcoming budget announcement to see how these priorities will be addressed.
Read the full report of the survey on Malta Survey’s website.
Stay tuned to Lovin Malta for the latest updates on Budget 2025 and how it will impact the Maltese economy and everyday life.
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