PN reiterates call for full year of parental leave

**PN Reiterates Call for Full Year of Parental Leave: A Bold Push for Family-Centric Malta**

In a move that could reshape the fabric of Maltese family life, the Nationalist Party (PN) has once again thrown down the gauntlet, demanding a full year of parental leave for all parents. This isn’t just another political soundbite—it’s a direct challenge to a society where grandparents have long been the invisible backbone of childcare, and where mothers still carry the lion’s share of parental duties.

Speaking from the party headquarters in Pietà, PN spokesperson for social policy Ivan Bartolo didn’t mince words: “We’re asking for something radical—time for parents to actually parent. Not just survive the first few weeks, but bond, recover, and build foundations that last generations.” The proposal, first floated in 2022, would extend Malta’s current 18 weeks of paid parental leave (plus 10 weeks of unpaid) to a full 52 weeks, shared between parents at 80% salary.

The timing is no accident. With Malta’s birth rate hitting a historic low of 1.13 children per woman—far below the EU average of 1.53—the PN is tapping into a growing anxiety. Walk through any village square at 6pm and you’ll see it: harried parents collecting kids from after-school programs, grandparents juggling shopping bags and toddlers, the unspoken question hanging in the air—*how did we make raising children feel impossible?*

“This isn’t about statistics,” explains Dr. Marie-Louise Coleiro, a sociologist at University of Malta who’s studied parental leave patterns across the EU. “In Malta, we’ve created this perfect storm where housing costs force both parents to work, but childcare remains astronomically expensive. Grandparents step in, but that’s not sustainable when people are having children later. We’re burning through three generations at once.”

The cultural implications run deep. Malta’s traditional *knejjes* (church-based community networks) have eroded, while the *nanna* (grandmother) as primary caregiver model clashes with modern realities. “My mum helped for the first six months, but she’s 68,” shares Sarah Zammit, 34, from Sliema. “After that? €800/month for childcare. I went back to work when my daughter was four months old because we couldn’t afford otherwise. I felt like I was failing everyone—my baby, my employer, myself.”

The PN’s proposal would make Malta a European leader, surpassing even Sweden’s generous 480-day system. But critics argue the timing is tone-deaf. With inflation biting and energy subsidies draining state coffers, can the island afford what Bartolo estimates will cost €40 million annually? “It’s an investment,” he counters. “Every study shows parental leave reduces healthcare costs, improves child development, and keeps women in the workforce. We’re hemorrhaging female talent—42% of Maltese women with degrees leave work after their first child.”

The Labour government, meanwhile, has dismissed the plan as “electoral fantasy,” pointing to their recent extension of free childcare hours. But the PN’s persistence is forcing a conversation that many Maltese families desperately need. In *kafeterijas* across the islands, the debate rages: *Is this elitist policy that only benefits middle-class professionals? Or a lifeline for a society where raising children has become a luxury good?*

What’s undeniable is the ground shifting beneath Malta’s feet. The PN’s proposal comes as neighboring Italy offers €175/month “baby bonuses” and Greece extends leave to nine months. With EU funds potentially covering 30% of costs, the party is betting that Maltese voters—particularly the crucial 25-45 demographic—are ready for radical change.

As the sun sets over Valletta’s golden limestone, the question remains: Will Malta choose to invest in its families’ futures, or continue the unsustainable dance of exhausted parents and aging grandparents? The PN has placed their bet. Now it’s up to the nation to decide what kind of childhood memories they want to create.

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