Government has achieved stability, and economic growth. The next step is the shift to a better quality of life.

MEP Thomas Bajada was speaking during an interview on the popular Isma’ Dean podcast, where he said that Malta is entering a new phase where the Labour Party has signalled a shift from wealth to the importance of a better quality life for all.

The Labour Party has proposed a Wellbeing Index, an initiative designed to measure progress not just by economic output, but by how people actually live. Labour’s proposals all revolve around better wellbeing of the population at large.

“We are moving towards a new step. It’s not about achieving stability and economic resilience. That’s been done. The focus now is on how we can shift a thriving economy into a better quality of life for our citizens,” he said.

The proposal marks a notable evolution in policy thinking. After years of economic consolidation and growth, the Labour Party, if elected for another term in office, is now seeking to redefine success beyond GDP figures.

“Austerity is a thing of the past for Malta, thanks to the government’s work. Now we can take the next step.

Central to the initiative is a broader understanding of prosperity, one that values time, wellbeing, and social balance alongside financial wealth. Bajada highlighted the everyday realities facing workers and families as a key driver behind the index.

“It’s useless having wealth without having the quality time to live it,” he said. “Take a worker who wakes up early every day but wants to see his children grow. The question now is: how can we give that working father more quality time?”

The Wellbeing Index aims to address such concerns by evaluating policies through their real-life impact. Each proposal under the framework will be assessed not only for its contribution to economic growth, but also for how it improves people’s daily lives, particularly in areas like free time, work-life balance, and overall wellbeing.

Bajada emphassed that this approach represents a wide cultural shift in governance. “Every proposal is being looked at through a different lens now.

Bajada said the initiative stems directly from what citizens are expressing about modern life: the relentless pace, rising property prices, and the growing struggle to balance work with family time, where people are racing against time.

“I am proud of this giant step. Labour is telling people that it is tying itself contractually to improving quality of life, not just ensuring continued economic growth.”