35% Of People Believe Malta Will Be Worse Off After Budget 2027

The first Esprimi Budget Barometer has found that while many Maltese adults are optimistic about their own financial situation following Budget 2027, they are considerably more concerned about what it could mean for the country as a whole.

According to the survey, only 15% of respondents believe the budget will leave their household worse off over the coming year. Nearly half, or 48%, expect no change to their personal finances, while 36% believe they will be better off.

Views were more divided when respondents were asked about the country's outlook. While 39% said they expect Malta to be better off as a result of the budget, 35% believe the country will be worse off.

This is more than double the proportion of people who fear their own household finances will decline.

The survey also found that 41% of respondents said they were rather or very satisfied with Budget 2027, compared with 29% who said they were rather or very dissatisfied.

Confidence in the government's management of the economy was lower, with 32% saying they agree or strongly agree that they have confidence in it, while 45% expressed some level of disagreement.

Esprimi Director of Research Vanessa Bajada said the biggest finding was the gap between people's expectations for their own household and their expectations for Malta overall.

The Budget Barometer is a new annual study that will be published after every budget. Esprimi said future releases will examine which measures people supported or opposed, how voters from different political parties viewed the budget, what respondents felt was missing and how third-country nationals perceived measures affecting them.

Esprimi CEO Morgan Parnis said the study will use the same core questions each year to track changes in public opinion over time.

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