Who cares about politics? Building a movement for Maltese youth

In recent months, we at Momentum have set out on a mission to listen. Through our Vision Circles, we gathered Maltese youth and policy experts to confront the real challenges facing the next generation. What we heard was clear that young people in Malta feel unheard and increasingly detached from a political system that is quite corrupt, unfair and offering only temporary gifts which insult their intelligence.

Young people in Malta are not disengaged because they are indifferent. They are disengaged because they do not see policies that protect their future or sustain their quality of life.

Young people perceive a growing gap between political decision-making and everyday life. Rising housing costs, low wages, environmental degradation, inefficient public transport, and an education system that often feels irrelevant have created the sense that policies prioritise short-term gains over sustainable solutions. Many youths feel excluded from decisions today, while being expected to live with the consequences tomorrow.

This lack of forward-looking policy has had real effects. Economic insecurity and being surrounded by  physical walls of concrete are impacting the mental health of youths. Climate inaction fuels anxiety about whether Malta will remain a liveable country. An unregulated digital environment spreads misinformation and cyberbullying. Without policies designed to ensure a balanced, affordable, and dignified quality of life, young people struggle to see how the system represents them and hence why they should engage with it.

Momentum believes this disengagement is not apathy, but a rational response to a system that has failed to deliver sustainability, fairness, empathy and inclusion.

Confronting the Challenges

Momentum’s Vision Circles highlighted several urgent issues limiting young people’s potential:

• Disengagement & Inclusion: Youth voices are often dismissed, particularly those of marginalised communities, reinforcing feelings of exclusion and inequality.
• The Digital Crisis: Social media addiction, misinformation, and cyberbullying are harming mental wellbeing and trust.
• Environmental Anxiety: All types of pollution and lack of greenery are a direct source of stress for young people concerned about their future in Malta.
• Educational Stagnation: The current system is seen as outdated, lacking relevance, limiting critical thinking, and stagnating practical skills.

Momentum’s Plan: Policies That Work for Youth

Momentum is putting forward concrete, sustainable solutions designed to improve quality of life not just today, but also for the future.

Giving Youth a Real Voice
Momentum would strive to establish local youth councils and formal consultation to ensure young people actively shape the legislation that affects their lives.

Education That Prepares You for Life
Curricula would be modernised to expand critical thinking ,public speaking, media literacy, vocational, trade and creative pathways, together with inclusive support systems. Nationwide anti-racism initiatives and improved resources for students with disabilities will prioritise equity rather than equality.

Education that unlocks every talent

Malta is facing a serious skills shortage in trades and manual professions and young people are paying the price. Many youths have the aptitude and interest to work in hands-on, technical careers, yet lack access to proper training, apprenticeships, and paid learning opportunities. As a result, vital trades such as plumbing, electrical work, construction, and maintenance are in short supply, driving prices to unsustainable levels and impacting everyone’s quality of life. Momentum believes there is not a lack of talent, but a failure to invest in vocational and trade pathways. We will treat skilled trades as essential, dignified professions and create clear, funded routes for young people to learn, earn, and build a stable future  while meeting Malta’s real economic needs.

Fair Pay, Real Opportunities, and Keeping Talent in Malta
To counter the brain drain, Momentum proposes:

• A flat 15% income tax rate for graduates, after the first tax exempt 10,000 euro yearly.
• Increasing the minimum wage to €360 per week
• Supporting employee share ownership schemes, giving young workers a real stake in the economy

Housing, Mobility, and Quality of Life
While exempting a first vacant property from tax, Momentum would address the housing crisis by taxing vacant second properties and promoting meritocracy over personal connections. The much needed Improved public transport and eco-friendly policies will make daily life more affordable and sustainable.

Protecting the Future Offline and Online
Social contributions made by 16–18-year-olds will count toward all future pensions, as proposed in the recent budget, not just to make up 10 years, while comprehensive media literacy and online safety programmes will protect young people from digital harm.

Recognizing volunteering work through a tax credit linked to verified volunteer hours, as a way to acknowledge contributions and encourage participation.

Upgrading work internships practices into a truly rewarding experience in the work career of young people rather than the current abusive custom of underpaid work to the advantage of the employer.

Join the Movement

Momentum is more than a political party, it is a platform for youth voices, ideas, and action. This vision is only the beginning: building a Malta that values long-term wellbeing and sees young people as its greatest asset.

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The present needs you and the future cannot wait. Let’s build it together.

There is hope, you can help!

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