Scandals and a Murder Expose Malta’s Weak Rule of Law

Since Malta joined the EU in 2004, EU membership has allowed Maltese citizens to work, study, and move freely across Europe. However, Malta’s political landscape remains troubled by clientelism, nepotism, and allegations of corruption. The assassination of investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia in 2017, when she was probing scandals that implicated figures at the highest levels of government, underscored ongoing struggles with press freedom and institutional reform. Subsequent reports and public inquiries have emphasized the need for more accountability within the political system, as the EU calls for reforms to Malta’s rule of law.