A huge majority of people in Malta said the country benefitted from EU membership, and support is growing rapidly: at three times the EU average.

The latest Eurobarometer survey, published on Wednesday, one year ahead of the European elections in May 2019, confirms citizens’ steadily growing support for the European Union.

The survey reveals that on average 60 per cent of citizens believe that EU membership of their country is a good thing while over two-thirds of respondents are convinced that their country has benefited from being a member of the EU. This is the highest score ever measured since 1983.

Though the majority view in all member states, the feeling of benefitting from EU membership varies — down to just 44 per cent in Italy.

Almost a third of respondents already know the date of the next European elections, with half being interested in it.

Asked about the specific issues of concern respondents would like to see debated in the election campaigns across the continent:

• the fight against terrorism (49%) 

• youth unemployment’ (48%)

• immigration (45%)

• economy and growth (42%).

Approximately one third of Europeans cite the fight against climate change and the protection of the environment (35%) while promoting human rights and democracy as well as the social protection of EU citizens are listed by 32% of respondents.

Immigration is by far the biggest priority for the Maltese.

A majority of respondents continues to be satisfied with the way democracy works in their country (55%) and in the EU (46%), including – for the latter – an increasing majority of Maltese people.

Half of respondents do not consider the emergence of new parties or political movements protesting against the political establishment as threat to democracy per se.

A majority of respondents (56%) – including the Maltese - believes that such new political parties might be a vehicle for change - while a clear 70% of citizens warn new parties that ‘just being against something does not improve anything’.