Official statistics released on Friday reveal that Malta’s population expanded by more than 25% over a decade. Between 2012 and 2022, the population surged from over 421,000 to approximately 542,000, marking an almost 29% increase. The notable growth is primarily attributed to the rise in the number of foreign nationals, constituting a quarter of the population by 2022. with more than 35,000 residents, St Paul’s Bay overtook Birkirkara as the locality with the largest population. (Times of Malta)
Joseph Muscat refuses to rule out contesting MEP elections
Joseph Muscat is not ruling out the possibility of participating in the upcoming European elections in June, leading to speculation about a potential return to politics for the former prime minister. In comments to the media on Friday, Muscat stated that while he cannot dismiss the idea of running in the election, he emphasized that such a decision cannot be hastily made and should not be taken lightly. The speculation surrounding Muscat’s potential comeback was fueled by social media discussions on Thursday, triggered by a post from Labour pundit Manwel Cuschieri who queried his followers about their interest in seeing Muscat reenter the local political arena through participation in the MEP election.
More tolerant attitude towards migrants reported among young people
Maltese adolescents are increasingly embracing inclusivity towards immigrants, displaying reduced sexism and religiosity, diminished trust in others, a higher likelihood of conversing in English at home, and a lower inclination to participate in general elections upon reaching voting age. This portrayal stems from the findings of the International Civic and Citizenship Education Study (ICCS), which surveyed 3,900 14-year-old students in 2022, with the results recently made public. As an illustration, 79% of teenagers expressed agreement with the idea that migrants bring numerous cultural, social, and economic benefits. Within this group, 35% strongly endorsed this viewpoint. (Maltatoday)
