Standing on the bustling Republic Street, the heart of Malta’s capital, Valletta, one can’t help but notice the political posters plastered on walls and billboards. Among them, Labour’s 2022 manifesto, a familiar read for many. But is it really new, asks the Nationalist Party (PN)?

Labour Party’s campaign launch at the Mediterranean Conference Centre in Valletta was a spectacle of pomp and promises. But as the party’s leader, Robert Abela, ticked off their pledges, PN’s spokesperson, Ryan Callus, was quick to point out the déjà vu. “We’re seeing the same promises recycled from the 2017 manifesto,” he claimed, referring to Labour’s previous election campaign.

Labour’s 2022 manifesto is indeed a mix of old and new. Among the new pledges are plans to build more affordable homes, increase the minimum wage, and introduce a Green Fund to tackle climate change. But PN argues that many of these promises were already made in 2017 and remain unfulfilled.

Take, for instance, the promise to build 10,000 affordable homes by 2027. Labour first made this pledge in 2017, but according to PN, only around 2,000 have been built so far. Similarly, Labour’s 2017 promise to introduce a minimum wage has only materialized this year, five years later.

Labour dismisses PN’s claims as political point-scoring. “We’ve delivered on many of our promises,” said Labour’s campaign spokesperson, Michael Falzon. “But there’s still more to do, and that’s what this manifesto is about.” Falzon argues that the party’s previous promises were ambitious and took time to implement, especially given the COVID-19 pandemic.

Falzon also points out that Labour’s 2022 manifesto includes new initiatives, like the Green Fund and a plan to tackle youth unemployment, which were not in their 2017 manifesto. “We’re not just recycling old promises,” he insists.

For many Maltese voters, promises matter. Especially in a small country like Malta, where political parties have a significant influence on people’s daily lives. “I want to see action, not just words,” says Maria, a 55-year-old voter from Birkirkara. “I’ll be looking at what they’ve done, not just what they’re promising.”

John, a 32-year-old from Msida, is more critical. “They’re all the same,” he says, referring to both Labour and PN. “They promise the world, then do nothing. I’m sick of it.”

As Malta heads towards its general election on March 26, promises will continue to fill the airwaves and streets. But with voters growing increasingly skeptical, parties will need to do more than just recycle old pledges to win their trust.

“We’re not asking for perfection,” says Callus. “But voters deserve to know what they’re voting for. And that means keeping your promises.”