PN warns population growth has become a national urgency in Malta

Malta is the most densely populated country in the European Union. The Nationalist Party made that claim central to a new statement declaring the island's population growth a "national urgency" and calling on the government to act immediately. Citing Eurostat figures, the PN said Malta's population density climbed from roughly 1,400 people per square kilometre in 2015 to around 1,800 in 2024 — a jump of approximately 400 people per square kilometre in under a decade.

The EU average stands at about 110 people per square kilometre, putting Malta at roughly 16 times that figure and well above smaller member states such as Luxembourg, Cyprus, and Estonia. Malta is also among the few EU member states recording the sharpest year-on-year increases in density. "It is clear that this problem has now become a national urgency," the party said.

The PN attributed the surge to government policies that have allowed the continued importation of foreign workers without adequate long-term planning. The consequences, it argued, are already visible: traffic congestion, sewage contamination at sea, worsening air and noise pollution, overcrowded public services, and lengthy healthcare waiting times. The party added that various social partners have already cautioned that Malta's current economic model is unsustainable.

The PN called on the government to act without delay to protect the quality of life of Maltese and Gozitan citizens.