The PN was the only political party to propose measures targeting overpopulation.

The claim does not identify a period or explain precisely what is meant by "targeting overpopulation". This assessment compares proposals around the 2026 general election and considers measures intended to manage population growth or the pressures associated with it.

What the PN proposed

On 14 May 2026, the PN proposed a population authority to prepare a Malta Population Levels Plan linked to work and residence permits, a sector-by-sector labour market study and a national capacity plan for infrastructure. It presented the measures as a response to the effects of population growth and a means of improving planning.

What Momentum proposed

Momentum's 2026 electoral manifesto proposed a population capacity study to assess Malta's sustainable population limits, including pressure from tourism in peak seasons (measure 147). The party said the findings would inform decisions on the occupations for which third-country nationals would be recruited.

Momentum also proposed a cap on the inflow of unskilled third-country workers (measure 148) and sectoral quotas informed by labour market analysis (measure 149). These proposals provide a direct counterexample to the claim that the PN was the only political party proposing measures in this area.

The Labour government's migration policy

The Labour government proposed a Labour Migration Policy in January 2025. Its consultation document acknowledged pressure on infrastructure and services and proposed aligning labour migration more closely with labour market needs, alongside worker retention and a skills-based approach.

The policy took effect from 1 August 2025. It restricts employers with high staff turnover, or recent redundancies in the same role, from recruiting third-country nationals, and caps how fast an employer's third-country workforce can grow, from 25% a year for large firms to 200% for micro firms. It also introduced new permit fees, including €600 for a first single permit.

The policy is relevant to population pressures, but its stated objectives also included meeting labour needs and retaining workers. The consultation did not set an overall population ceiling. It should therefore not be assumed to be identical to either the PN or Momentum proposals.

Evaluation

The PN was not the only political party to propose measures addressing population capacity and related pressures. Momentum's manifesto provides clear evidence to the contrary. The Labour government also proposed a migration policy that acknowledged infrastructure pressures, although its objectives and instruments differed.

Proposing a measure does not demonstrate that it would work. The sources establish that more than one party or government proposed measures related to population pressures. They do not establish how effective these measures would have been in changing the total population or reducing pressures on infrastructure and services.