From AI and productivity to traffic and tourism, yesterday’s Malta Chamber leaders’ debate between Prime Minister Robert Abela and PN leader Alex Borg repeatedly circled back to a number of major national issues ahead of the 30th May election.Here are the nine themes that dominated the discussion: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Lovin Malta (@lovinmalta)1. Foreign Workers And Population GrowthThe debate repeatedly returned to Malta’s growing population, foreign labour dependence and pressure on infrastructure.2. ProductivityBoth leaders addressed concerns about Malta’s productivity levels, with Chamber figures showing economic growth far outpacing productivity increases.3. Traffic And TransportTraffic congestion and major transport infrastructure projects sparked some of the debate’s most heated exchanges.4. Hospitals And HealthcareHealthcare infrastructure, staffing shortages and new hospital proposals featured heavily throughout the debate.5. Tax Cuts And Business IncentivesCorporate tax reductions, SME incentives and lowering the tax burden became one of the biggest economic battlegrounds.6. ‘Resilience’The word “resilience” was one of the most repeated terms throughout the debate, particularly by Chamber officials calling for Malta to move “from resilient to ready”.7. Debt And Public SpendingNational debt, government spending and the affordability of both parties’ electoral promises repeatedly became flashpoints throughout the debate, with both leaders accusing each other of risking Malta’s long-term financial stability.8. Credibility And Long-Term PlanningBeyond policy itself, both leaders repeatedly questioned each other’s credibility, competence and long-term vision for Malta.9. Quality TourismRobert Abela and Alex Borg clashed directly over whether Malta is truly attracting higher-spending tourists.While the debate covered dozens of policy proposals and political clashes, the recurring themes painted a clear picture of the issues dominating this election campaign: productivity, infrastructure, cost of living, population growth and Malta’s long-term economic direction.With just days left before Malta heads to the polls on 30th May, yesterday’s debate offered one of the clearest glimpses yet into how both parties plan to shape the country’s future and where their biggest differences lie.Did you watch the debate?•