Editing Joseph Muscat (section)

{{Short description|Prime Minister of Malta from 2013 to 2020}}
{{About||the footballer|Joe Muscatt}}
{{EngvarB|date=February 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2023}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name                = Joseph Muscat
| honorific-suffix    = [[National Order of Merit (Malta)|KUOM]]
| image               = File:Joseph muscat 2018 (cropped).jpg
| caption             = Muscat in 2018
| office              = 13th [[Prime Minister of Malta]]
| deputy              = [[Louis Grech]]<br />[[Chris Fearne]]
| president           = [[George Abela]]<br />[[Marie Louise Coleiro Preca]]<br />[[George Vella]]
| term_start          = 11 March 2013
| term_end            = 13 January 2020
| predecessor         = [[Lawrence Gonzi]]
| successor           = [[Robert Abela]]
| leader1             = 
| office1             = [[Labour Party (Malta)|Leader of the Labour Party]]
| predecessor1        = [[Alfred Sant]]
| successor1          = [[Robert Abela]]
| term_start1         = 6 June 2008
| term_end1           = 12 January 2020
<!-- Adding the Presidency of the Council of the European Union and Commonwealth Chair-in-Office, because of the relevance -->| office2             = 13th [[Commonwealth Chair-in-Office]]
| term_start2         = 27 November 2015
| term_end2           = 19 April 2018
| predecessor2        = [[Maithripala Sirisena]]
| successor2          = [[Theresa May]]
| office3             = [[Leader of the Opposition (Malta)|Leader of the Opposition]]
| president3          = [[Eddie Fenech Adami]]<br />[[George Abela]]
| primeminister3      = [[Lawrence Gonzi]]
| predecessor3        = [[Charles Mangion]] {{small|(Acting)}}; [[Alfred Sant]]
| successor3          = [[Lawrence Gonzi]] {{small|(Acting)}}; [[Simon Busuttil]]
| term_start3         = 1 October 2008
| term_end3           = 11 March 2013
| office4             = [[Member of the European Parliament]]
| term_start4         = 12 June 2004
| term_end4           = 25 September 2008
| birth_date          = {{birth date and age|1974|1|22|df=y}}
| birth_place         = [[Pietà, Malta|Pietà]], [[State of Malta]]
| death_date          = 
| death_place         = 
| party               = [[Labour Party (Malta)|Labour]]
| spouse              = [[Michelle Muscat|Michelle Tanti]]
| children            = 2
| education           = [[University of Malta]]<br />[[University of Bristol]]
| website             = {{URL|josephmuscat.com|Official website}}
}}

'''Joseph Muscat''' {{Post-nominals|post-noms=[[National Order of Merit (Malta)|KUOM]]}} (born 22 January 1974) is a Maltese politician who served as the 13th [[Prime Minister of Malta|prime minister of Malta]] from 2013 to 2020<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20080606/local/joseph-muscat-crowned-labour-leader.211213 |title=Joseph Muscat crowned Labour leader |website=timesofmalta.com |date=8 June 2008 |access-date=26 November 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151127015240/http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20080606/local/joseph-muscat-crowned-labour-leader.211213 |archive-date=27 November 2015}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/joseph-muscat-in-low-key-final-exit.763251|title=Joseph Muscat in low-key final exit|last=Borg|first=Jacob|date=13 January 2019|work=Times of Malta|access-date=13 January 2019|archive-date=14 January 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200114165958/https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/joseph-muscat-in-low-key-final-exit.763251|url-status=live}}</ref> and [[List of Malta Labour Party leaders|leader]] of the [[Labour Party (Malta)|Labour Party]] from 2008 to 2020.<ref name="SwornIn">{{cite web|url=http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20130311/local/preparing-for-the-party.461015 |title=Joseph Muscat sworn in, goes to Castille, as huge crowd celebrates |website=timesofmalta.com |date=11 March 2013 |access-date=26 November 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151127011212/http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20130311/local/preparing-for-the-party.461015 |archive-date=27 November 2015}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/99707/fearne_absent_for_abelas_victory_lap_as_labour_mps_gather_by_leaders_side_|title=Fearne absent for Abela's victory lap as Labour MPs gather by leader's side|last=Vella|first=Matthew|date=12 January 2020|work=MaltaToday|access-date=13 January 2020|archive-date=13 January 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200113062703/https://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/99707/fearne_absent_for_abelas_victory_lap_as_labour_mps_gather_by_leaders_side_|url-status=live}}</ref>

Muscat was first elected Prime Minister in March 2013 with 54.83% and re-elected in June 2017 with 55.04%.<ref name=":54">{{cite web|url=https://electoral.gov.mt/Elections/General|title=General Election|access-date=22 June 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170731193316/https://electoral.gov.mt/Elections/General|archive-date=31 July 2017}}</ref> Previously he was a [[Member of the European Parliament|member of the European Parliament (MEP)]] from 2004 to 2008.<ref name=":4">{{cite web|url=http://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/28121/JOSEPH_MUSCAT_home.html |title=Joseph Muscat |website=europarl.europa.eu |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160419080714/http://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/28121/JOSEPH_MUSCAT_home.html |archive-date=19 April 2016 |url-status=live |access-date=11 June 2017}}</ref> He was the [[Malta's Leader of the Opposition|leader of the opposition]] from October 2008 to March 2013.<ref name=":5">{{cite web|url=http://www.parlament.mt/muscat-joseph |title=Parlament ta' Malta |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170226142828/http://www.parlament.mt/muscat-joseph |archive-date=26 February 2017 |url-status=live |access-date=11 June 2017}}</ref> Muscat identifies as a [[Progressivism|progressive]] and liberal politician, with [[Market economy|pro-business]] leanings,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2017-01-29/local-news/Being-pro-business-means-being-pro-worker-Prime-Minister-Joseph-Muscat-6736169702 |title='Being pro-business means being pro-worker', Prime Minister Joseph Muscat |date=9 January 2017 |work=The Malta Independent |access-date=11 June 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170129104055/http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2017-01-29/local-news/Being-pro-business-means-being-pro-worker-Prime-Minister-Joseph-Muscat-6736169702 |archive-date=29 January 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref> and has been associated with both [[Economic liberalism|economically liberal]] and [[Social liberalism|socially liberal]] policies.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/75851/time_for_clampdown_on_poverty__muscat#.WT1naOt94kI |title='Time for clampdown on poverty' – Muscat |last=Diacono |first=Tim |date=30 March 2017 |work=MaltaToday |access-date=11 June 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170401050009/http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/75851/time_for_clampdown_on_poverty__muscat |archive-date=1 April 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Muscat succeeded [[Alfred Sant]] as party leader in June 2008. He rebranded the Labour Party, which embraced an increasingly socially liberal and centrist position. His premiership was marked for pulling together a national consensus for economic growth, based on a restructured Maltese economy. His administration led to large-scale changes to welfare and civil liberties, including the legalisation of [[Same-sex marriage in Malta|same-sex marriage]] in July 2017<ref name=":12">{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/07/13/malta-allows-same-sex-couples-marry-historic-vote-catholic-country/|title=Malta allows same-sex couples to marry in 'historic vote' for Catholic country|date=13 July 2017|work=The Telegraph|access-date=13 July 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170713093818/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/07/13/malta-allows-same-sex-couples-marry-historic-vote-catholic-country/|archive-date=13 July 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> and the leagalisation of medical cannabis in March 2018.<ref>{{Cite web
|date        = 27 March 2018
|title       = Malta has officially legalised medical cannabis
|website     = maltatoday.com.mt
|location    = Malta
|publisher   = Open Publishing 
|access-date = 19 January 2025 |url=https://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/85616/malta_has_officially_legalised_medical_cannabis}}</ref>

Muscat presided over the rise of the Labour Party and its dominance in Maltese politics, and the relative decline of the [[Nationalist Party (Malta)|Nationalist Party.]] He has been criticised by figures on both the left and right, and has been accused of political opportunism,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20120604/local/opposition-has-set-a-new-benchmark-in-political-opportunism.422788 |title=Opposition has set a new benchmark in political opportunism – Gonzi |date=4 June 2012 |work=Times of Malta |access-date=11 June 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120607035659/http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20120604/local/opposition-has-set-a-new-benchmark-in-political-opportunism.422788 |archive-date=7 June 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref> broken promises on [[meritocracy]]<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/comment/editorial/50993/a_farewell_to_meritocracy#.WT14T-t94kI |title=A farewell to meritocracy |date=24 March 2015 |work=MaltaToday |access-date=11 June 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160512112526/http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/comment/editorial/50993/a_farewell_to_meritocracy |archive-date=12 May 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> and the environment,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2017-05-08/local-news/Labour-s-environmental-credentials-the-facts-speak-for-themselves-FAA-6736174006|title=Labour's environmental credentials: 'the facts speak for themselves' – FAA|last=Schembri Orland|first=Kevin|date=8 May 2017|work=The Malta Independent|access-date=12 June 2017|archive-date=18 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190718171935/http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2017-05-08/local-news/Labour-s-environmental-credentials-the-facts-speak-for-themselves-FAA-6736174006|url-status=live}}</ref> as well as corruption allegations.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.politico.eu/article/corruption-allegations-threaten-to-wreck-muscats-premiership/ |title=Corruption allegations threaten to wreck Muscat's premiership |last=Cooper |first=Harry |date=26 April 2017 |work=politico.eu |access-date=11 June 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170606084341/http://www.politico.eu/article/corruption-allegations-threaten-to-wreck-muscats-premiership/ |archive-date=6 June 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref>

On 1 December 2019, under pressure from the [[2019–20 Maltese protests|2019 street protests]] calling for his resignation in relation to the assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia,<ref name="TMalta_Thousands_demand_resignations" /><ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Taub|first=Ben|title=Murder in Malta|url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2020/12/21/murder-in-malta|access-date=17 December 2020|magazine=The New Yorker|language=en-us|archive-date=16 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201216155606/https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2020/12/21/murder-in-malta|url-status=live}}</ref> Muscat announced his resignation, and stepped down on 13 January 2020.<ref>{{cite news |title='I've paid highest political price for a dark episode,' says Malta PM |url=https://www.euronews.com/2020/01/11/joseph-muscat-i-ve-paid-highest-political-price-for-a-dark-episode |work=euronews |date=11 January 2020 |language=en |access-date=13 January 2020 |archive-date=29 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201029195025/https://www.euronews.com/2020/01/11/joseph-muscat-i-ve-paid-highest-political-price-for-a-dark-episode |url-status=live }}</ref>

In May, 2024, Joseph Muscat together with [[Konrad Mizzi]], [[Keith Schembri]], and others were criminally charged<ref name=":17">{{cite news |title=Malta's ex-PM Muscat charged in connection with hospital sell-off scandal |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/malta-joseph-muscat-hospital-sell-off-scandal/ |work=politico |date=6 May 2024 |language=en |access-date=20 May 2024 |archive-date=11 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240511212342/https://www.politico.eu/article/malta-joseph-muscat-hospital-sell-off-scandal/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=":18">{{cite news |title=Joseph Muscat to be charged with bribery and criminal association |url=https://timesofmalta.com/article/joseph-muscat-charged-bribery-criminal-association.1092078 |work=TimesofMalta |date=7 May 2024 |language=en |access-date=20 May 2024 |archive-date=21 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240521225422/https://timesofmalta.com/article/joseph-muscat-charged-bribery-criminal-association.1092078 |url-status=live }}</ref> with, among other things, bribery, criminal association, and money laundering in relation to [[Steward Health Care]], [[Vitals Global Healthcare]] and the related Hospital contract controversy.

Joseph Muscat is the only leader of a Maltese political party, to have won all the elections he contested, ten in a row, both as Leader of the Opposition and Prime Minister, between 2009 and 2019, defeating three leaders of the Nationalist Party - Lawrence Gonzi, Simon Busuttil and Adrian Delia.<ref>{{Cite web
|date        = 10 January 2020
|title       = Labour's winning streak: Joseph Muscat's 10 election victories
|url         = https://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/99671/labours_winning_streak_joseph_muscats_10_election_victories
|website     = maltatoday.com
|location    = Malta
|publisher   = Open Publishing 
|access-date = 18 January 2025}}</ref>