‘What About Prospective Parents?’ – Former PL Youth Official Analyses Budget
Pearl Agius, a young lawyer who until recently used to form part of the Żgħażagħ Laburisti executive, said that while the 2026 Budget will benefit families, it won’t do much to help prospective parents.
“At face value, it’s a very good budget – practically incredible. It properly helps out families with children, who are the fulcrum of our society, as well as pensioners, students and businesses – the backbone of the economy,” she said.
“But then there’s me – a 26-year-old woman with a job and a prospective home owner. Just like me, there are several youths and young families who don’t have children.”
Agius warned that the current property schemes don’t do enough to incentivise people like herself enter the market. She argued that the first-time buyers’ scheme only resulted in further inflation, while the property value caps for the equity sharing and 10% deposit schemes are too low for the current market.
“Let’s me honest – what can you buy with €225,000 other than a matchbox?” she questioned.
“Where do you want the middle class to raise a family? In these matchboxes that are being built?”
“Since we’re making such a fuss about our low birth rate, has it occurred to anyone that we should also be helping prospective parents?”
“We’re helping families, thank God, but – and maybe I’ll sound a bit harsh – these families already have children, their households are already established, and it’s extreme to think they’ll be the ones to boost the birth rate.”
“Meanwhile, prospective parents who are preparing to have children are caught in a vicious circle where they must work more to earn more money.”
“However, that means they also have less time with their families and are facing stress-related fertility problems. At the same time they’re being asked to have children when they barely have any time for them. If they so have children, they’ll end up being raised by social media and schools.”
“I think it’s clear why the birth rate has declined — we’d be lucky to even find the time to have children, let alone raise them.”
Photo: Pearl Agius