Malta is ranked the third most optimistic country in Europe
Malta has been ranked in the third most optimistic country in Europe according to a Social Optimism Index based on data collected from different Eurobarometer surveys.
In an index that confirms the reputation of the Maltese as being generally bloody and gregarious, Malta is one of 12 EU countries in which more than half of the population considers itself to be socially optimistic.
Indeed, Malta and Portugal stand out as an exception among the Mediterranean member states, which tend to be among the least optimistic.
Two countries hard hit by the 2009 financial crisis emerged at both ends of the index: Ireland as the EU’s most socially optimistic country, and Greece as the most socially pessimistic.
“11 years after the onset of the economic crisis, the emotional climate in Greece has remained deeply pessimistic. Conversely, the economic boom experienced by Ireland in recent years has also had a clear impact on the feelings of the population, with Ireland now more optimistic than any other EU country, ”the report sociologist Eduardo Bericat, published by the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions, said.
But the top tier group of optimistic nations includes Nordic, Central and Eastern European, Mediterranean and Continental countries. And this classification challenges the north-south and east-west divisions found in other classifications.
In general the Nordic countries tend to be the most optimistic while the countries of Eastern and Central Europe are more optimistic than those of the Mediterranean, and even more so than the Continental countries.
Some of the richest European countries, such as France, Belgium and Italy, have relatively high levels of social pessimism, which also poses a “severe problem for the future of Europe” the authors say.
The Optimism Index is a composite indicator made up of six variables based on Eurobarometer questions on personal and national expectations, on the direction, right or wrong, of the respondent’s own country and the EU, confidence on the future and the future of the EU in particular.
The highest degree of social optimism was recorded in Ireland (0.687) and Denmark (0.582) followed by Malta (0.424) and Luxembourg (0.407). Finland, Portugal, Poland, the Netherlands, Lithuania, Latvia, and Hungary share a relatively high level of social optimism, ranging from 0.366 to 0.308. The most pessimistic countries are the Czech Republic (-0.067), Cyprus (-0.092), Italy (-0.111), Belgium (-0.135), France (-0.262) and finally Greece (-0.650). .
Confidence in institutions and rates of economic growth and purchasing power have been found to be the main drivers of optimism at the country level.
The study concludes that people are more optimistic if they feel that they are living in a cohesive society: they feel connected to a community, they have a sense of belonging and they see positively the contribution of immigrants to the economy and the environment. society.
Social optimism and pessimism are also linked to life satisfaction or happiness, as well as to the level of trust in institutions and satisfaction with democracy. Pessimism is also closely linked to dissatisfaction with established institutions. Members of the lower middle class are likely to be pessimistic. People who feel that their voice counts tend to be more optimistic not only about their own future but also about that of the society in which they live.