"Youths want to leave Malta in larger quantities than before."
No clear Eurobarometer trend supports a year-over-year increase — need a specific source survey.
Full analysis
The claim in context
The Nationalist Party has argued that Maltese youths are leaving Malta in larger quantities than before — the implication being that the government's economic record has failed to retain young talent.
What the available data shows
Standard Eurobarometer 104 (carried out October–November 2025) found Maltese youth express very high EU support — 92% of Maltese respondents say membership has been beneficial, with similar numbers among 15–24 year olds — but the survey does not measure emigration intent in a year-on-year comparable way.
NSO's migration releases capture actual flows but in net terms, dominated by foreign in-migration. Disaggregated outflows by Maltese-headed-vs-foreign and by age require ad-hoc analysis that has not been done publicly. Some op-ed commentary supports a sense of disillusionment, but commentary is not a sample.
Bottom line
The claim is plausible — cost-of-living pressures and housing affordability are real concerns — but cannot be verified or refuted from publicly available data. A specific source (a Misco or JEF Malta survey, or an NSO migration-intent study) would be required. Verdict: Unproven.
Sources
- European Commission — Standard Eurobarometer 104 — Malta malta.representation.ec.europa.eu