\u2018People are working more, but are less happy,\u2019 says PN candidate<\/p>\n
Annabelle Cilia, a Nationalist Party candidate contesting the sixth electoral district, is placing quality of life at the centre of her political message, arguing that Malta’s economic progress is not translating into greater wellbeing for its people. Cilia said this growing imbalance between effort and satisfaction is one of the key issues driving her political engagement, warning that a life dominated by constant work, traffic, and routine risks leaving little space for family, community, and personal wellbeing.<\/p>\n
One reason that Cilia decided to run for MP is that she believes economic growth is not translating into happiness. She questioned the quality-of-life gap despite such economic growth. The key inconsistency, according to Cilia, is that people are working more but living worse. She linked this to broader dissatisfaction and a need for policy change. <\/p>\n
Overwork, she said, is also directly related to reduced time for family, hobbies, and community, as well as solitude and mental health issues. She thus advocated for a more balanced lifestyle. Cilia described modern life as repetitive and draining. She called it a “haze” rather than a fulfilling life.<\/p>\n
“We should be spending time with our friends, with our families, doing things we love,” she said.<\/p>\n
Cilia highlighted brain drain as a major national concern, as young Maltese are leaving permanently, not temporarily. Cilia said that this is a loss of national investment and a failure of belonging and quality of life. Unfortunately, people are not choosing Malta as a place to build their future. She therefore linked youth issues directly to the lack of opportunities in Malta. Youths, she said, should be encouraged to stay and build businesses locally.<\/p>\n
“We are raising people, we are having children, but at the end of the day when their time comes they decide to live elsewhere,” she said.<\/p>\n
Cilia connected overdevelopment with broader social frustration and emigration pressures. She highlighted constant construction, digging, and noise in Malta, and cited high noise pollution as a growing issue. Cilia suggested that this contributes to a sense of exhaustion with daily life, and that it is potentially influencing young people to leave the country.<\/p>\n
That being said, Cilia affirmed that she does not oppose development outright. She held that roads, housing, and renovations are necessary, but that development should not be reactive or uncontrolled. She believes that Malta lacks a long-term, coherent planning strategy, and that development often appears short-term and fragmented.<\/p>\n
“Are we just developing for the sake of developing, or developing with a plan?” Cilia asked.<\/p>\n
When asked about environmental protection versus economic growth, Cilia said there was “no black or white answer”. She rejected an absolute environmental versus economy framing. Her position is that economic growth is necessary, but not if quality of life continues to declide. This reinforces her earlier concern that people are working more but not living better.<\/p>\n
As a mother, Cilia said that parental leave is one issue which she strongly believes in. She argued that both parents should have the possibility of a full year off combined. She framed it as essential for child development and important for the parents’ wellbeing. Cilia herself took unpaid leave after having her daughter, and she said she was not ready to return to work after just 4 months. Cilia acknowledged existing measures, such as reduced taxes for families, but said that they are not enough. She called for better work-life balance for parents.<\/p>\n
“Early years are very important, I don’t believe we are giving them the importance that they need,” she said.<\/p>\n
Cilia credits PN Leader Alex Borg with increased visibility and better public presence. That being said, she stressed the need for better listening and dialogue with citizens, as well as the importance of candidates actively connecting with people – going door to door and relaying their concerns back to the party. She emphasised that there must be two-way communication with voters. Politics, according to Cilia, should be built from direct contact with voters and feedback loops.<\/p>\n
Some PN proposals, Cilia said, are actually adopted by the government without giving credit where credit is due. The PN, according to Cilia, is not just the Opposition but an “alternative government”, and it is already producing workable policies. She argued that what the PN needs is stronger marketing and message visibility.<\/p>\n
She said the PN has “quite a few” good and knowledgeable proposals. The main problem is not the content, but the visibility and public retention. Cilia said there is the need to “make them stick” and keep repeating them. She emphasised the continuous communication of proposals and the need for voters to remember who proposed what. She suggested that the PN risks losing recognition for its ideas even if they are later adopted.<\/p>\n
When asked about local issues in the district in which she is running (District 6), she raised the specific case of works being done in Qormi. Issues reported by residents include dirt and dust left uncleaned, blocked entrances, and ongoing disruption to daily life. Cilia said she understands residents’ frustration. She said that works are necessary but must be better managed. Unfortunately, residents do not know when such works will finish. Cilia criticised the lack of clear planning and communication in carrying out such developments.<\/p>\n
Cilia said that other problems affecting her district include severe traffic congestion and the resultant air pollution. She also highlighted accessibility concerns, such as not being able to move around with a pushchair or a wheelchair. Elderly residents are also affected by poor infrastructure. Cilia framed it as a universial mobility issue, not a niche one.<\/p>\n
Cilia also expressed concern about the lack of safe spaces for children and the fact that play areas are located near busy roads and pollution. This implies that there is limited investment in liveable urban design. She argued that Qormi, in particular, risks becoming a through-route rather than a community, and that traffic and pollution overshadow the locality’s history and identity.<\/p>\n
When asked how she handles public pressure as a political figure, Cilia described social media pressure as “nasty” and emotionally difficult at times. She said that criticism is acceptable, but personal attacks are not. She added that she is learning to ignore abusive comments and step back when needed. She will thus continue working on what she believes in and has accepted lack of control over public negativity, advocating instead for civil political discourse and respectful debate.<\/p>\n
Cilia said she believes the PN can win the election, however stressed that winning is not the goal in itself, but rather the aim is to implement concrete proposals. She framed the party as preparing seriously for governance and working on a pre-government policy plan. She said that real change will not happen quickly, but requires sustained preparation. She believes that the PN approach is structured and plan-driven rather than reactive.<\/p>\n
When asked whether she agrees with Parliament’s gender-corrective mechanism, implemented for the first time in the previous general election, Cilia expressed a balanced and nuanced position. She said she is personally against it in principle, but acknowledges its necessity given the previous gender imbalance without it.<\/p>\n
She emphasised that more women are needed in decision-making roles across society, and that their presence changes the quality and nature of debate. She argued that diversity is essential because it not only results in equality, but better outcomes in governance. Cilia highlighted a core tension, noting that women should enter Parliament on the basis of their ability, but structural barriers still somewhat justify corrective measures. She said that at the end of the day, if mechanisms like these exist, they should be used effectively.<\/p>\n