Confidence In Malta’s 2025 Budget Sees Slight Uptick, But Public Scepticism Remains High
With just hours to go before Budget 2025 is revealed, new survey results published mere days ago show a slight increase in the number of people who believe the budget will address their needs. However, nearly half the population remains unconvinced, reflecting a cautious outlook on the government’s ability to meet their expectations.
Conducted by IDEA Consulting through Malta Survey, the data reflects the views of a broad sample of Maltese citizens surveyed earlier in October.
The results show that while “Highly Confident” responses rose slightly to 7.4%, and those in the “Not at all Confident” category decreased from 28.3% in 2024 to 23.1% this year, the most common sentiment remains cautious. The “Not that Confident” group stayed the largest, making up 31.4% of respondents, while uncertainty also rose, with 26.3% of participants saying they’re “Not Sure” about the budget’s impact.
This mixed sentiment indicates that while optimism has inched up, the majority are still uncertain or concerned.
Though participants were asked about their confidence in the budget meeting their needs each year, the 2023 survey used a scale ranging from “Strongly Agree” to “Strongly Disagree,” rather than the “Highly Confident” to “Not Confident at All” scale used in subsequent surveys.
A look at previous years shows how confidence dropped sharply between October 2022 and October 2023, with the percentage of those feeling “Highly Confident” or “Somewhat Confident” falling from a combined 49.91% in 2023 to just 18.1% last year.
This year’s increase is modest and leaves the general public cautious, although slightly more optimistic.
Public Priorities for Key Sectors
When asked which sectors should receive the most emphasis in the upcoming budget, respondents’ top choices were clear. Health continues to be the highest priority, with 45.2% naming it their top focus. The Environment came second, showing a minor rise over last year, with just under 18% of respondents listing it as their main concern. Education follows closely, with respondents favouring it as a second priority, while it saw a slight decline as a top choice compared to 2024.
These preferences indicate the public’s desire for quality-of-life improvements and essential services over new initiatives.
The results come just before Finance Minister Clyde Caruana is set to present the government’s budget for 2025 tonight, underscoring the public’s call for a budget that focuses on delivering effective, necessary services.
What are you expecting and hoping from today’s budget?
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