In an era in which obtaining a driving license often represents an achievement of freedom, Malta chooses a completely opposite path. The government of the Mediterranean island has launched an initiative destined to spark discussion: 25,000 euros to those under 30 willing to give up their driving license for five years. The proposal, designed to tackle one of the country’s most pressing problems, aims to reduce increasingly choking traffic on Maltese roads. And it’s not just a theoretical idea: the first hundred young people have already accepted, helping to consume half of the public fund foreseen for the project.
A small island with too many cars
To understand the reason for such a radical measure we need to look at the numbers. Today there are approximately 457,000 vehicles circulating in Malta, a huge figure when compared to the size of the island. The Maltese territory, in fact, extends for only 317 square kilometers, a limited space where every road ends up quickly becoming congested. In the last months of 2025 alone, 3,754 new registrations were recorded, a sign of traffic destined to grow further. The problem is not just the number of cars, but the combination of reduced territory and increasing population, a balance that is increasingly difficult to sustain.
Population growth and pressure on infrastructure
In recent years the island has experienced significant population growth. In just a decade, residents have gone from 440,000 to around 550,000 people, while the population density has risen from 1,263 to 1,766 inhabitants per square kilometre. For comparison, Italy remains under 200 inhabitants per square kilometre. This means that space and infrastructure are being put to the test in Malta, and car traffic has become one of the most visible symbols of this pressure.
The bonus and the rules to be respected
The government plan provides an incentive of 25,000 euros distributed in five annual installments of 5,000 euros. In exchange, those who join must accept a very clear condition: not to drive any vehicle for five years, neither in Malta nor abroad. However, those who participate in the program will be able to use public transport for free, while violations will be severely punished. Anyone caught driving risks a fine of 5,000 euros, the restitution of part of the funds received and possible legal consequences.
An innovative solution or just an experiment?
Despite the interest aroused, the project is not without criticism. The expected public fund amounts to 5 million euros, which means that at most around two hundred people will be able to join. According to some observers, this is therefore a symbolic intervention, because even in the case of total membership the reduction in cars would be minimal compared to the overall number of vehicles. Yet the initiative has already sparked an international debate on sustainable mobility, urban space and new transport policies. Malta, with its bold experiment, tries to demonstrate that sometimes the most unusual solutions can open new paths.
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