Editing Joseph Muscat (section)

=== Second term as prime minister ===
Muscat's first commitment upon being elected was the introduction of a gay marriage law before Parliament's summer recess.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2017-06-04/local-news/PM-Muscat-commits-himself-to-passing-gay-marriage-law-before-summer-6736175061|title=PM Muscat commits himself to passing gay marriage law before summer|last=Grech|first=Helena|date=4 June 2017|work=The Malta Independent|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170618064232/http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2017-06-04/local-news/PM-Muscat-commits-himself-to-passing-gay-marriage-law-before-summer-6736175061|archive-date=18 June 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Same-sex marriage in Malta|Same-sex marriage]] was legalised by mid-July 2017,<ref name=":12" /> after a vote which tested the Nationalist Party's conservative MPs.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/78695/muscat_tests_conservative_pn_mps_by_calling_for_vote_on_gay_marriage_bill#.WZ2ttD6g8kI|title=Muscat tests conservative PN MPs by calling vote on gay marriage Bill|last=Diacono|first=Tim|date=5 July 2017|work=[[MaltaToday]]|access-date=23 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170801200714/http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/78695/muscat_tests_conservative_pn_mps_by_calling_for_vote_on_gay_marriage_bill#.WZ2ttD6g8kI|archive-date=1 August 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>

'''Presidency of the Council of the European Union'''

Between January and June 2017, Malta held the six-month rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

On 3 February 2017, Joseph Muscat hosted in Valletta an informal summit for all 28 EU heads of State or government which discussed irregular migration from Libya and the preparations for the 60th anniversary of the Rome Treaties.<ref>{{Cite web
|date        = 3 February 2017
|title       = Informal meeting of EU heads of state or government, Malta, 3 February 2017
|url         = https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/meetings/european-council/2017/02/03/
|website     = consilium.europa.eu
|location    = Malta
|publisher   = Open Publishing 
|access-date = 20 January 2025}}</ref> The Maltese presidency concluded at least 24 main legislative dossiers with the European Parliament. Several were of clear benefit to the citizen, from high-speed internet to energy-efficiency labelling of consumer products. The Maltese presidency also gained a reputation for being a very good driver of consensus and compromise in the Council of Ministers and a balanced negotiator with the Parliament.<ref>{{Cite web
|date        = 2 July 2017
|title       = A look back at Malta's presidency
|url         = https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/A-look-back-at-Malta-s-presidency.652136
|website     = timesofmalta.com
|location    = Malta
|publisher   = Open Publishing 
|access-date = 20 January 2025}}</ref>

In July, Muscat closed [[Presidency of the Council of the European Union|Malta's presidency of the EU Council]], describing the country's achievements and the sense of positivity the EU Presidency brought to Malta.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gov.mt/en/Government/Press%20Releases/Pages/2017/July/04/PR171627.aspx|title=Speech by Prime Minister Joseph Muscat to review the Maltese Presidency during the European Parliament's plenary session held in Strasbourg, 4th July 2017|last=Muscat|first=Joseph|date=4 July 2017|website=Gov.mt|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170823205828/https://www.gov.mt/en/Government/Press%20Releases/Pages/2017/July/04/PR171627.aspx|archive-date=23 August 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> The Brussels-based Politico online news magazine commended Malta's Presidency. "The EU's smallest country has won praise for its diplomatic prowess in brokering agreement on a range of issues," Politico said. Politico also heaped praise on Malta's negotiating skills in pushing through legislation in dozens of policy areas and awarded the country full marks for its achievements and the handling of the EU's Brexit response.<ref>{{Cite web
|date        = 30 June 2017
|title       = Malta's EU presidency: How it went
|url         = https://www.politico.eu/article/maltas-eu-presidency-how-did-it-go/
|website     = politico.eu
|location    = Malta
|publisher   = Open Publishing 
|access-date = 20 January 2025}}</ref>

Both the President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker and the President of the European Council Donald Tusk recognized Malta's achievements, with Juncker calling Malta's Presidency as impressive and Tusk describing it as one of the best experiences in his professional life.<ref>{{Cite web
|date        = 23 June 2017
|title       = Tusk: Malta's Presidency was very efficient and one of the best experiences
|url         = https://tvmnews.mt/en/news/tusk-il-presidenza-maltija-tusk-maltas-presidency-was-very-efficient-and-one-of-the-best-experienceskienet-efficjenti-hafna-u-wahda-mill-aqwa-esperjenzi/
|website     = youtube.com
|location    = Malta
|publisher   = Open Publishing 
|access-date = 20 January 2025}}</ref>

'''Upgrading Malta's road network'''

A very ambitious programme to develop and upgrade Malta's road network was launched, to make sure it will meet the new realities of the island's booming economy.<ref>{{Cite web 
|date        = 22 January 2019
|title       = Watch: Works start on €700 million roads make-over
|url         = https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/watch-works-start-on-700-million-roads-make-over.699914
|website     = timesofmalta.com
|location    = Malta
|publisher   = Open Publishing 
|access-date = 20 January 2025}}</ref> A new agency was set up and a budget of €700 million was allocated.<ref>{{Cite web
|date        = 5 July 2018
|title       = Parliament approved Infrastructure Malta bill
|url         = https://newsbook.com.mt/en/parliament-approved-infrastructure-malta-bill/
|website     = newsbook.com.mt
|location    = Malta
|publisher   = Open Publishing 
|access-date = 20 January 2025}}</ref> A series of road projects, which Malta had never seen before, took off.<ref>{{Cite web
|date        = 9 April 2021
|title       = 310 residential roads completed as part of €700 million project
|url         = https://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2021-04-09/local-news/310-residential-roads-completed-as-part-of-700-million-project-6736232446
|website     = independent.com.mt
|location    = Malta
|publisher   = Open Publishing 
|access-date = 20 January 2025}}</ref> Amongst others, work begun on the flyovers project in Marsa, the largest road project ever undertaken.<ref>{{Cite web
|date        = 20 September 2019
|title       = First Marsa flyovers officially open; a pre-independence anniversary present - Muscat
|url         = https://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2019-09-20/local-news/First-Marsa-flyovers-officially-opens-a-pre-independence-anniversary-present-Muscat-6736213747
|website     = independent.com.mt
|location    = Malta
|publisher   = Open Publishing 
|access-date = 20 January 2025}}</ref> Free public transport schemes for young people and the elderly were also launched.<ref>{{Cite web
|date        = 10 January 2018
|title       = Free public transport for all 16-20-year-old tallinja card holders
|url         = http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2018-01-10/local-news/Free-public-transport-for-all-16-20-year-old-tallinja-card-holders-6736183453
|website     = independent.com.mt
|location    = Malta
|publisher   = Open Publishing 
|access-date = 20 January 2025}}</ref>

'''Electoral Results 2014–2019'''

In May 2014 the Labor Party became the first party in Government in Malta to win the European Parliament election with 53% of all first count votes.<ref>{{Cite web
|date        = 25 May 2014
|title       = Labour supporters celebrate big election victory - Majority exceeds 33,000 votes, 54% - Muscat says outcome better than expected
|url         = https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/labour-supporters-celebrate-big-election-victory-majority-exceeds.520521
|website     = timesofmalta.com
|location    = Malta
|publisher   = Open Publishing 
|access-date = 20 January 2025}}</ref> In April 2015 the Labor Party also won the Local Council elections with just over 53% of all votes cast.<ref>{{Cite web
|date        = 25 May 2014
|title       = Updated – Muscat: Labour victory historic, general election levels maintained
|url         = https://timesofmalta.com/article/updated-muscat-labour-victory-historic-general-election-levels.564448
|website     = timesofmalta.com
|location    = Malta
|publisher   = Open Publishing 
|access-date = 20 January 2025}}</ref> On 25 May 2019, the Labour Party won the European Parliament election once again, by a margin of almost 43,000 votes over the Nationalist Party, receiving 54% of the total votes. For the first time the Labour Party elected four of the six Maltese MEPs.<ref>{{Cite web
|date        = 26 May 2019
|title       = Official results: Labour Party wins EP election by 42,600 votes; PL gets 4 seats, PN 2 seats
|url         = https://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2019-05-26/local-news/One-hour-delay-in-sorting-of-votes-no-official-turnout-yet-6736208664
|website     = independent.com.mt
|location    = Malta
|publisher   = Open Publishing 
|access-date = 20 January 2025}}</ref> Local Council elections were held on the same day. The Labor Party obtained a landslide victory receiving 58% of the total votes, and surpassing the Nationalist Party with a record 47,100 votes.<ref>{{Cite web
|date        = 31 May 2019
|title       = Local council elections: PL obtains 47,000 more votes than PN
|url         = http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2019-05-31/local-news/Live-Local-council-elections-last-day-of-vote-counting-begins-6736208959
|website     = independent.com.mt
|location    = Malta
|publisher   = Open Publishing 
|access-date = 20 January 2025}}</ref>

With these results, Joseph Muscat is to date, the only leader of a political party in Malta to have won all the elections he contested - ten out of ten, both from the opposition and government, against three different leaders of the Nationalist Party - Lawrence Gonzi, Simon Busuttil and Adrian Delia.

Joseph Muscat is also the Maltese politician who garnered the highest number of votes in a General Election.  He achieved this in 2013 and broke his own record in 2017. He is also the only Maltese Prime Minister to date achieving more than 50% of the total eligible voters in an election. He did this twice.

==== 2019 political crisis and resignation ====
{{main|2019 Malta political crisis}}
[[File:Joseph Muscat 2020.JPG|thumb|upright=0.7|Muscat in January 2020]]

In October 2017, investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia died in a car bomb attack. Muscat promised to "leave no stone unturned" in the subsequent investigation.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/81358/caruana_galizia_murder_muscat_pledges_no_stone_will_be_left_unturned|title=Caruana Galizia murder: Muscat pledges no stone will be left unturned|last=Sansone|first=Kurt|date=16 October 2017|website=MaltaToday.com.mt|language=en|access-date=13 January 2020|archive-date=13 January 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200113193911/https://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/81358/caruana_galizia_murder_muscat_pledges_no_stone_will_be_left_unturned|url-status=live}}</ref> The opposition blamed Muscat for what they deemed a "political murder" and for the collapse of the rule of law in the country.

The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation and Europol were immediately asked to help the Maltese police in their investigations.<ref>{{Cite web
|date        = 26 October 2017
|title       = Update: Europol to help Maltese Police in their investigations into Daphne Caruana Galizia murder
|website     = tvmnews
|location    = Malta
|publisher   = Open Publishing 
|access-date = 18 January 2025 |url=https://tvmnews.mt/en/news/updated-europol-help-maltese-police-investigations-daphne-caruana-galizia-murder/ }}</ref>

On 5 December 2017, only fifty days after the car bomb,three men - brothers, George and Alfred Degiorgio, and Vincent Muscat - were charged with the murder of Caruana Galizia.<ref>{{Cite web
|date        = 6 December 2017
|title       = Three charged in Malta with murder of Panama Papers journalist
|website     = www.theguardian.com
|location    = Malta
|publisher   = Open Publishing 
|access-date = 18 January 2025 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/dec/05/three-men-charged-daphne-caruana-galizia-murder-malta }}</ref>

In February 2021 Vincent Muscat was sentenced to 15 years in prison after he pleaded guilty.<ref>{{Cite web
|date        = 23 February 2021
|title       = Daphne Caruana Galizia murder: 15-year sentence for Vince Muscat after guilty plea
|website     = euronews
|location    = Malta
|publisher   = Open Publishing 
|access-date = 18 January 2025 |url=https://www.euronews.com/2021/02/23/man-pleads-guilty-to-murder-of-malta-journalist-daphne-caruana-galizia}}</ref>

In October 2022 the Degiorgio brothers were jailed for 40 years each.<ref>{{Cite web
|date        = 14 October 2022
|title       = Brothers sentenced to 40 years in prison for murdering Maltese journalist Caruana Galizia
|website     = france24
|location    = Malta
|publisher   = Open Publishing 
|access-date = 18 January 2025 |url=https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20221014-brothers-sentenced-to-40-years-in-prison-for-murdering-maltese-journalist-caruana-galizia}}</ref>

In the following two years, Muscat spoke very sparingly of the Caruana Galizia case and of the periodic protests that took place in Valletta. Government employees were tasked with clearing a makeshift memorial to Caruana Galizia at the [[Great Siege Monument]] in Valletta on a regular basis.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/minister-gave-order-to-clear-daphne-memorial-site-court-told.694144|title=Minister gave order to clear Daphne memorial site, court told|last=Brincat|first=Edwina|date=12 November 2018|website=Times of Malta|language=en-gb|access-date=13 January 2020|archive-date=11 July 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240711070939/https://timesofmalta.com/article/minister-gave-order-to-clear-daphne-memorial-site-court-told.694144|url-status=live}}</ref>

Muscat faced accusations of failing to take action against two close aides: [[Keith Schembri]], his chief of staff, and [[Konrad Mizzi]], tourism and formerly energy minister, whose business and underworld links had been subject to judiciary and administrative investigations.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/apr/23/joseph-muscat-malta-political-career-lost-lustre|title=How Joseph Muscat's glittering political career lost its lustre|last1=Kirchgaessner|first1=Stephanie|date=23 April 2018|work=The Guardian|access-date=13 January 2020|last2=Garside|first2=Juliette|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077|archive-date=11 July 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240711070937/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/apr/23/joseph-muscat-malta-political-career-lost-lustre|url-status=live}}</ref>

Around the [[2019 European Parliament election|2019 European elections]], Muscat was touted for an EU job, possibly as successor to [[Donald Tusk]] as head of the [[European Council]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/europe/95970/europes_top_posts_and_muscats_chances|title=Europe's top posts and Muscat's chances|last=Sansone|first=Kurt|date=30 June 2019|website=MaltaToday.com.mt|language=en|access-date=13 January 2020|archive-date=7 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191207155530/https://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/europe/95970/europes_top_posts_and_muscats_chances|url-status=live}}</ref> His bid failed.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.tvm.com.mt/en/news/prime-minister-joseph-muscat-was-close-to-becoming-european-council-president/|title=Prime Minister Joseph Muscat was close to becoming European Council President - TVM News|website=TVM English|language=en-US|access-date=13 January 2020|archive-date=29 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191129132411/https://www.tvm.com.mt/en/news/prime-minister-joseph-muscat-was-close-to-becoming-european-council-president/|url-status=live}}</ref> While he had been a frontrunner to succeed Tusk back in 2017, in 2019 his image was tainted by the Caruana Galizia murder and the multiple reports of European institutions warning about the erosion of the [[rule of law]] in Malta.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://theshiftnews.com/2019/07/05/the-race-for-an-eu-post-a-story-of-how-far-joseph-muscat-has-fallen/|title=The race for an EU post: 'A story of how far Joseph Muscat has fallen'|last=Muscat|first=Caroline|date=5 July 2019|website=The Shift News|language=en-US|access-date=13 January 2020|archive-date=7 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191207155923/https://theshiftnews.com/2019/07/05/the-race-for-an-eu-post-a-story-of-how-far-joseph-muscat-has-fallen/|url-status=live}}</ref>

In late November 2019, Muscat's premiership was rocked by the arrest of prominent businessman [[Yorgen Fenech]], also in connection with the Caruana Galizia's bomb attack,<ref>{{Cite web 
|date        = 20 November 2019
|title       = Daphne murder: 17 Black owner Yorgen Fenech arrested on yacht
|website     = timesofmalta.com
|location    = Malta
|publisher   = Open Publishing 
|access-date = 18 January 2025 |url=https://timesofmalta.com/article/17-black-owners-boat-intercepted-at-sea-by-afm.751177}}</ref> and the implication of Muscat's chief of staff [[Keith Schembri]]. On 25 November 2019, after [[2019–20 Maltese protests|protestors]] had called for him to resign,<ref name="TMalta_Thousands_demand_resignations">{{Cite news|url=https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/live-protesters-renew-call-for-prime-ministers-resignation.751858|title=Thousands fill Castille Place to demand political resignations|last=Martin|first=Ivan|date=20 November 2019|work=Times of Malta|access-date=6 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191123155549/https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/live-protesters-renew-call-for-prime-ministers-resignation.751858|archive-date=23 November 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> Muscat autonomously decided to grant presidential pardon to Melvin Theuma, considered the middleman between the executors of Caruana Galizia's murder, and the masterminds,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-malta-daphne-idUSKBN1XZ1TV|title=Malta grants pardon to suspected middleman in journalist murder: police sources|date=25 November 2019|work=Reuters|access-date=13 January 2020|language=en}}</ref> on condition that he could link the person suspected of commissioning the murder of Caruana Galizia to those who carried out the killing, as well as those who helped provide the explosive device used.<ref>{{Cite web
|date        = 19 November 2019
|title       = Malta offers pardon in Caruana Galizia murder case
|website     = politico.eu
|location    = Malta
|publisher   = Open Publishing 
|access-date = 18 January 2025 |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/malta-pardon-offer-daphne-caruana-galizia-murder-case-joseph-muscat/}}</ref>

On 29 November, after a six-hours cabinet meeting, Muscat denied the same presidential pardon to [[Yorgen Fenech]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/no-pardon-for-yorgen-fenech.753493|title=No pardon for Yorgen Fenech|date=29 November 2019|work=Times of Malta|access-date=13 January 2020|archive-date=29 August 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230829180045/https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/no-pardon-for-yorgen-fenech.753493|url-status=live}}</ref> The same day Muscat informed the President of Malta [[George Vella]] that he would soon be resigning his duties as prime minister.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Grech |first1=Herman |title=Joseph Muscat expected to step down imminently |url=https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/joseph-muscat-expected-to-step-down-imminently.753565#.XeEaqpFl-Mw.facebook |access-date=29 November 2019 |work=Times of Malta |issue=29/11/19 |archive-date=29 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191129140240/https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/joseph-muscat-expected-to-step-down-imminently.753565#.XeEaqpFl-Mw.facebook |url-status=live }}</ref>

On 1 December in a television address he announced that he would step down from his position as prime minister, after a PL leadership contest. In his address, Dr Muscat said that he gave everything in return for the trust the Maltese gave him but added that he need to shoulder everyone's responsibilities, even where he was not involved. He reminded that he had promised justice in the case of Daphne Caruana Galizia's murder. "I kept my word - we have three people charged with her murder and we also have the alleged mastermind charged" said Dr Muscat.<ref>{{Cite web
|date        = 1 December 2019
|title       = Muscat to step down as Prime Minister after January 12
|website     = timesofmalta.com
|location    = Malta
|publisher   = Open Publishing 
|access-date = 18 January 2025 |url=https://timesofmalta.com/article/hold-muscat-expected-to-make-statement.754168}}</ref>

Both Malta's main newspapers, ''[[The Times of Malta]]''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/this-is-not-a-normal-country.753379|title=Editorial: This is not a normal country|website=Times of Malta|date=29 November 2019|language=en-gb|access-date=13 January 2020|archive-date=29 August 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230829180044/https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/this-is-not-a-normal-country.753379|url-status=live}}</ref> and ''[[Malta Today]]'',<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/comment/blogs/98939/we_are_in_a_state_of_abnormality_muscat_must_go|title=We are in a state of abnormality. Muscat must go|last1=Vella|first1=Matthew|last2=Debono|first2=James|date=29 November 2019|website=MaltaToday.com.mt|language=en|access-date=13 January 2020|last3=Sansone|first3=Kurt|archive-date=11 July 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240711071439/https://www.maltatoday.com.mt/comment/blogs/98939/we_are_in_a_state_of_abnormality_muscat_must_go|url-status=live}}</ref> as well as international media such as ''[[The Guardian]]''<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/nov/29/the-guardian-view-on-the-daphne-caruana-galizia-investigation-the-ministerial-connection|title=The Guardian view on the Daphne Caruana Galizia investigation: the ministerial connection {{!}} Editorial|date=29 November 2019|work=The Guardian|access-date=13 January 2020|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077|archive-date=29 August 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230829180058/https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/nov/29/the-guardian-view-on-the-daphne-caruana-galizia-investigation-the-ministerial-connection|url-status=live}}</ref> called on Muscat to make his resignation immediate. The European Parliament also called for Muscat to immediately quit over the Caruana Galizia murder.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Rankin |first1=Jennifer |title=EU parliament calls on Malta PM to resign now over Caruana Galizia |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/dec/18/eu-parliament-calls-on-malta-pm-joseph-muscat-to-resign-over-daphne-caruana-galizias-case |access-date=5 January 2020 |work=The Guardian |date=18 December 2019 |archive-date=11 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240711071440/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/dec/18/eu-parliament-calls-on-malta-pm-joseph-muscat-to-resign-over-daphne-caruana-galizias-case |url-status=live }}</ref> [[2019 Maltese protests|National protests]] were held calling for his immediate resignation, rather than stepping down in January 2020.<ref name="TMalta_demand_Muscat_resign">{{Cite news|url=https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/protesters-demand-out-now-a-day-after-pms-resignation-announcement.754378|title=Protesters block MPs from leaving parliament, amid politicians' altercation|last=Arena|first=Jessica|date=2 November 2019|work=Times of Malta|access-date=3 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191203000029/https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/protesters-demand-out-now-a-day-after-pms-resignation-announcement.754378 |archive-date=3 December 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project|The Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project]] named Muscat "Man of the Year in Organized Crime and Corruption" for 2019 for the increases in criminality and lack of prosecutions during his term.<ref>{{cite news |title=Organized Crime & Corruption Reporting Project |url=https://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2019-12-27/local-news/Joseph-Muscat-named-2019-man-of-the-year-in-organised-crime-and-corruption-6736217841 |access-date=30 December 2019 |work=Malta Independent |issue=27 December 2019 |archive-date=11 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240711071442/https://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2019-12-27/local-news/Joseph-Muscat-named-2019-man-of-the-year-in-organised-crime-and-corruption-6736217841 |url-status=live }}</ref>  In December 2024 questions were raised over the lack of independence of the editorial policy of the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project due to extensive funding and influence from the United States government.<ref>{{Cite web
|date        = 8 December 2024
|title       = US funding of OCCRP raises questions over editorial independence
|website     = maltatoday.com
|location    = Malta
|publisher   = Open Publishing 
|access-date = 18 January 2025 |url=https://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/132661/us_funding_of_occrp_raises_questions_over_editorial_independence}}</ref>

In December 2019 Muscat had a strictly private meeting with [[Pope Francis]]. While in Rome, he did not meet with Italian Prime Minister [[Giuseppe Conte]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.it/entry/lospite-imbarazzante-joseph-muscat-in-visita-privata-da-papa-francesco_it_5deb70eae4b0913e6f903057|title=L'ospite imbarazzante. Joseph Muscat in visita privata da Papa Francesco|date=7 December 2019|website=L'HuffPost|access-date=1 January 2021|archive-date=8 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191208152140/https://www.huffingtonpost.it/entry/lospite-imbarazzante-joseph-muscat-in-visita-privata-da-papa-francesco_it_5deb70eae4b0913e6f903057|url-status=live}}</ref>

Muscat gave his final speech as Prime Minister on 10 January 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2020-01-10/local-news/Live-Joseph-Muscat-delivers-his-last-speech-in-Paola-6736218254|title=Watch: Muscat's last speech - 'I took this step so that unity can win over hatred' - The Malta Independent|website=www.independent.com.mt|access-date=1 January 2021|archive-date=24 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210924143650/https://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2020-01-10/local-news/Live-Joseph-Muscat-delivers-his-last-speech-in-Paola-6736218254|url-status=live}}</ref> Following [[Robert Abela]]'s victory over [[Chris Fearne]] in the [[Labour Party (Malta)|Labour Party]] internal competition, Muscat resigned as prime minister.<ref>{{Cite news |agency=Associated Press |date=12 January 2020 |title=In Malta, Son of Ex-President Is Chosen as Prime Minister |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/12/world/europe/malta-prime-minister-robert-abela.html |access-date=17 February 2023 |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=30 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201030005643/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/12/world/europe/malta-prime-minister-robert-abela.html |url-status=live }}</ref>