Joseph Muscat

The Honourable
Joseph Muscat
KUOM
13th Prime Minister of Malta
Assumed office
11 March 2013
President George Abela
Marie Louise Coleiro Preca
Deputy Louis Grech
Chris Fearne
Preceded by Lawrence Gonzi
13th Chair-in-Office of the Commonwealth of Nations
In office
27 November 2015 – 19 April 2018
Head Elizabeth II
Preceded by Maithripala Sirisena
Succeeded by Theresa May
Personal details
Born (1974-01-22) 22 January 1974
Pietà, Malta
Political party Labour
Spouse(s) Michelle Tanti
Children 2
Education University of Malta
University of Bristol
Website Official website

Joseph Muscat MP KUOM (born January 22, 1974) is a Maltese politician who has served as Prime Minister of Malta since 2013,[1] and Leader of the Partit Laburista (PL) since June 2008.[2] Muscat was re-elected as Prime Minister on the 3rd of June 2017 (55.04% after 54.83% in 2013).[3] Previously he was a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) from 2004 to 2008.[4] He was Leader of the Opposition from October 2008 to March 2013.[5] Muscat identifies as a progressive and liberal politician, with pro-business leanings,[6] and has been associated with both economically liberal and socially liberal policies.[7]

Becoming an MP in 2008, he succeeded Alfred Sant as party leader. Muscat rebranded the Labour Party, which embraced an increasingly socially liberal position. The 2013 General Election led to Muscat becoming Prime Minister and taking office in March 2013.[2] His first premiership was marked for pulling together a national consensus for economic growth, based on a restructured Maltese economy. Following the Gonzi administration, and with continued support from the newly elected Labour government, Malta became an attractive location for foreign direct investment in financial services, online gaming, information technology, maritime and aviation hubs and high value-added manufacturing clusters.[8] His administration led to large-scale changes to welfare with the introduction of social benefit tapering policies,[9] increases in minimum wages,[10] and introduced private sector involvement in healthcare.[11] It partly privatised the national energy provider,[12] and officially recognised same-sex unions in Malta. The legislation established civil unions for both same-sex and opposite-sex couples with the same rights as those available to married couples,[13] including joint adoption rights.[14] Same-sex marriage was legalised in mid-July 2017.[15]

Beyond making the Maltese left electable, Muscat presided over the rise of the Labour party and its dominance in Maltese politics, and the relative decline of the Nationalist Party. Muscat has been praised for eliminating Malta's national deficit,[16] decreasing unemployment to historic lows,[17] and presiding over an unprecedented period of economic growth.[18] Conversely, he has been criticised by figures on both the left and right, and has been accused of political opportunism,[19] broken promises on meritocracy[20] and the environment,[21] as well as corruption allegations.[22] These allegations were the focus of the 2017 General Election, which returned Muscat with a larger majority of 38,000 votes.[23]

Early life and career

Family

Joseph Muscat was born on January 22, 1974, in Pietà, Malta, to a Burmarrad family.[24] He is an only child.[24] With his father a fireworks importer, Muscat constantly referred to his family roots when describing his aversion to bureaucracy that hinders business.[24] Muscat is married to Michelle née Tanti and they are the parents of twins, Etoile Ella and Soleil Sophie.[25]

Education

Muscat received his formal education at the Government Primary School in St. Paul’s Bay, Stella Maris and St. Aloysius’ College.[26] Educated at St. Aloysius' in the 1980s, Muscat experienced the closure of Church schools by the Labour government of the day.[24] This experience was reflected in the Labour party’s 2013 manifesto with a pledge to continue financially supporting Church schools.[24]

He graduated Bachelor of Commerce in Management and Public Policy (University of Malta, 1995),[27] Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Public Policy (University of Malta, 1996),[27] and Master of Arts in European Studies (University of Malta, 1997).[27] In 2007, he attained a Doctorate of Philosophy in Management Research from the University of Bristol (UK)[26] with a thesis on Fordism, multinationals and SMEs in Malta.[27]

Career

He worked as a journalist with the Labour Party’s media arm,[28] and founded the Party’s now defunct news portal maltastar.com. He also worked as a journalist with the party's radio station, Super One Radio.[29] He later took on a similar role at Super One Television, becoming the station's assistant head of news in 1996.[26] Muscat wrote a regular column in L-Orizzont,[30] a Maltese-language newspaper published by the General Workers' Union and its sister Sunday weekly It-Torċa,[30] and was a regular contributor to The Times, an independent newspaper published in Malta.[30] Muscat also worked as an investment advisor in the private sector,[31] and a market intelligence manager.[28]

Politics

Muscat was as a member of the youth section of the Labour Party, the Labour Youth Forum (Forum Żgħażagħ Laburisti) where he served as Financial Secretary (1994–97) and Acting Chairperson (1997).[30] He later served as Education Secretary in the Central Administration of the Party (2001–2003) and Chairman of its Annual General Conference (November 2003).[30] During the Labour government of 1996-98 he was a member of the National Commission for Fiscal Morality (1997–98).[30]

After staunchly campaigning against Malta's membership in the European Union, the Labour Party lost its second general election in a row. In 2003, Muscat was nominated to a working group led by George Vella and Evarist Bartolo on the Labour Party's policies on the European Union.[30] This working group produced the document Il-Partit Laburista u l-Unjoni Ewropea: Għall-Ġid tal-Maltin u l-Għawdxin ('Labour Party and the European Union: For the benefit of the Maltese and the Gozitans') which was adopted by the Labour Party Extraordinary General Conference in November of that year.[30] The working group was instrumental in changing the Labour Party's eurosceptic policies, leading it to embrace a pro-EU stance. At this General Conference, Muscat was approved as a candidate for the election to the European Parliament.[30]

Member of the European Parliament (2004-2008)

Joseph Muscat addressing Maltese Parliament in November 2011

Despite having previously expressed opposition to Malta's entry into the European Union,[32] Muscat was elected to the European Parliament in the 2004 European Parliament election. He was the Labour Party (formerly the Malta Labour Party) candidate who received the most first-preference votes.[33] Sitting as a Member of the European Parliament, with the Party of European Socialists, he held the post of Vice-President of the Parliament's Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs and substitute member of the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection.[4] He was a member of a number of delegations for relations with Belarus and with the countries of south-east Europe.[4] He was also a member of the EU-Armenia, EU-Azerbaijan and EU-Georgia Parliamentary Cooperation Committees.[4] As an MEP he supported a reduction in the tax for satellite television,[34] the right for customers to watch sport events for free,[35] and a number of issues related to environmental protection in Malta.[36] He formed part of a team responsible for a report on the roaming mobile phone bills and sale of banks.[4]

In 2006, he was the recipient of the Outstanding Young Person of the Year.[28] Muscat resigned his seat in the European Parliament in 2008 to take up a seat in the Maltese Parliament, and the role of Leader of the Opposition.[5] Four months previously, he had been elected Leader of the Labour Party. Before his resignation, the European Parliament adopted his report proposing new regulations for the EU’s financial services sector.[4]

Leader of Labour Party

Joseph Muscat at a meeting while explaining political agenda

On March 24, 2008 Muscat announced his candidacy for the post of Party Leader,[37] to replace Alfred Sant, who had resigned after a third consecutive defeat for the Party in the March 2008 general election and a heavy defeat in the EU referendum in March 2003.[38]

Although at the time Muscat was not a member of the Maltese House of Representatives, he was elected as the new party leader on June 6, 2008.[38] Muscat was just three votes short of winning the contest outright, obtaining 435 of the 874 valid votes cast, three fewer than the 438 needed (50 per cent plus one). He garnered 49.8 per cent of valid votes cast while the combined number of votes of the other contestants was 50.2 per cent.[38] In order to take up the post of Leader of the Opposition, Muscat was co-opted in the Maltese Parliament on October 1, 2008 to fill the seat vacated by Joseph Cuschieri for the purpose.[39] The latter eventually took up the sixth seat allocated to Malta in the European Parliament once the Treaty of Lisbon was brought into effect in 2011.[39] On taking up the Leadership post, Muscat introduced a number of changes to the Party, notably the change of official name and party emblem.[40][41] In the 2009 Maltese European Parliament Elections, the first with Muscat as Party Leader, Labour candidates obtained 55% of first-preferences against the 40% obtained by candidates of the Nationalist Party.[42]

First term as Prime Minister

Prime Minister Shinzō Abe and Prime Minister Joseph Muscat shaking hands in Auberge de Castille, Valletta.

Muscat contested Malta's general elections for the first time in March 2013 and was elected on District 2 on the first count, with 13,968 votes and on District 4 again on the first count with 12,202 votes and 53% of the vote.[43] On March 11, 2013 he was sworn in as Prime Minister of Malta.[2] Following his election victory, Muscat was congratulated in a statement by the President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, on behalf of the European Commission.[44]

After three years Muscat claimed that he had presided over Malta's economic turnaround, and - amongst others - was instrumental for the introduction and strengthening of civil liberties, improvements in the health and energy sector, and the elimination of out-of-stock medicines, the reduction in energy tariffs, the introduction of free-childcare centres, higher social benefits to parents and the youth employment guarantee.[45] Upon being elected to office, the Muscat administration found a worsening public deficit, a slowdown in the economy, the country's main utility provider on the verge of bankruptcy and a slowing economy in Gozo. The directional change resulted in economic growth of over 6%, the elimination of the public deficit and a decrease in the public debt burden.[45] Poverty was reduced and pensions were increased for the first time in 25 years. Muscat insisted that these results were delivered by his government as a team.[45] Among others, the Muscat administration's family friendly measures led to a 9% increase in female participation in the labour market, substantial savings to first-time home buyers, the value-added tax car registration refund, in-work benefits to low-income couples and single parents, stipends given to 900 students who repeated a year and the introduction of civil unions. Muscat admitted that his first administration had its challenges, namely the environment and good governance.[45]

Panama Papers

In 2016, two of Muscat's close collaborators were implicated in the Panama Papers, holding two companies in that jurisdiction.[46] These were Konrad Mizzi, a minister, and Keith Schembri, the Prime Minister's Chief of Staff.[46] In 2017 journalist and blogger Daphne Caruana Galizia alleged that Muscat's wife held a third company in Panama named Egrant.[47] Opposition Leader Simon Busuttil made his own allegations of significant money transfers into Egrant. Muscat and his wife Michelle denied the claims and Muscat requested an independent magisterial inquiry, calling the allegations as the ‘biggest political lie in Malta’s political history’.[48] Muscat insisted that truth was on his side, and that he wanted to protect Malta from uncertainty, and called a general election.[48] Corruption became the battlecry for the Nationalist Party in the general election campaign.

The magisterial inquiry led by Magistrate Aaron Bugeja interviewed 477 witnesses.[49] International forensic experts sifted through thousands of documents and digital records from multiple sources.[49] The inquiry required the collaboration of five nations (including Panama and Germany) and spanned over 15 months. The results of the inquiry were made public on July 22, 2018. The inquiry found falsified signatures, differing testimonies and no proof that the Prime Minister, his wife, or their family had a connection with the company.[49] There was nothing linking the Prime Minister and his wife to the Panamanian company.[50]

Following the outcome of the inquiry, former Opposition Leader Simon Busuttil was removed from the Shadow Cabinet by Opposition Leader Adrian Delia for making the Egrant allegations the party's own in the general election. Delia also asked Busuttil to consider suspending himself from the Nationalist Party Parliamentary Group, with Busuttil refusing.[51]

Joseph Muscat, and his family, concluded that they consider the whole controversy linked with the Egrant allegations as an "undisputed and elaborate" attempt at a political frame up.[52]

General Election 2017

The Labour Party ran a serene campaign, which focused on the administration's successes and achievements over the previous four years.[53] Muscat stressed the record economic growth and employment levels, and the turnaround in the country's finances from deficit to surplus.[54] The Labour campaign highlighted the fulfilled pledges, dealing with tax reductions, social benefits and childcare, as well as higher student stipends.[54] Labour's fight on poverty and increase in pensions also featured prominently.[54] Muscat's pledges for the next five years were aimed at the better distribution of the country’s wealth, giving workers back public holidays that fall during a weekend, an ambitious seven-year plan to resurface all of Malta’s roads and a tax bonus for every worker earning up to 60,000 euro.[55][56][57][58]

The Labour Party, with Muscat at its helm, won the 2017 General Election and was returned to power with a wider majority.[59][60] Muscat was congratulated for his victory by Donald Tusk, President of the European Council, and the President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker.[61]

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.[62] Same-sex marriage was legalised by mid-July 2017,[15] after a vote which tested the Nationalist Party's conservative MPs.[63] On international fora, Muscat began his second term by weighing in on Brexit, describing it as a "disastrous creature" the EU "did nothing to stop,"[64] later indicating he had hopes it may not happen.[65] In July, Muscat closed Malta's presidency of the EU Council, describing the country's achievements and the sense of positivity the EU Presidency brought to Malta.[66]

Health

On April 7, 2014, Muscat suffered from temporary blindness caused by UV radiation probably related to burns to his cornea. Like 60 other people with similar symptoms, he had participated at a political rally the day before.[67]

Honours

National honours

Foreign honours

References

  1. ↑ "Joseph Muscat crowned Labour leader". timesofmalta.com. 2008-06-08. Archived from the original on 2015-11-27. Retrieved 2015-11-26.
  2. 1 2 3 "Joseph Muscat sworn in, goes to Castille, as huge crowd celebrates". timesofmalta.com. 2013-03-11. Archived from the original on 2015-11-27. Retrieved 2015-11-26.
  3. ↑ "General Election". Archived from the original on 2017-07-31. Retrieved 2017-06-22.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Joseph Muscat". europarl.europa.eu. Archived from the original on 2016-04-19. Retrieved 2017-06-11.
  5. 1 2 "Parlament ta' Malta". Archived from the original on 2017-02-26. Retrieved 2017-06-11.
  6. ↑ "'Being pro-business means being pro-worker', Prime Minister Joseph Muscat". The Malta Independent. 2017-01-09. Archived from the original on 2017-01-29. Retrieved 2017-06-11.
  7. ↑ Diacono, Tim (2017-03-30). "'Time for clampdown on poverty' – Muscat". MaltaToday. Archived from the original on 2017-04-01. Retrieved 2017-06-11.
  8. ↑ "Lawrence Gonzi". Gonzi & Associates: Advocates. Gonzi & Associates: Advocates. Archived from the original on 2014-07-20. Retrieved 2014-07-23.
  9. ↑ "More people benefiting from In-Work and Benefit Tapering schemes". Times of Malta. 2017-03-22. Archived from the original on 2017-05-19. Retrieved 2017-06-11.
  10. ↑ "Malta's minimum wage increase reflects progress and stability - PES". The Malta Independent. 2017-04-28. Retrieved 2017-06-11.
  11. ↑ Cocks, Paul (2017-05-20). "Gozo hospital no longer viable without Vitals investment, Muscat warns". MaltaToday. Archived from the original on 2017-05-21. Retrieved 2017-06-11.
  12. ↑ Sansone, Kurt (2014-03-12). "Enemalta signs €320m China investment deal". Times of Malta. Archived from the original on 2015-08-15. Retrieved 2017-06-11.
  13. ↑ Bill No. 20 - Civil Unions Bill Archived 2013-12-15 at the Wayback Machine.
  14. ↑ "Parliament debates 'gay marriage' Bill". The Malta Independent. 22 October 2013. Archived from the original on 23 October 2013.
  15. 1 2 "Malta allows same-sex couples to marry in 'historic vote' for Catholic country". The Telegraph. 2017-07-13. Archived from the original on 2017-07-13. Retrieved 2017-07-13.
  16. ↑ "First surplus since 1981 registered in government consolidated fund". Times of Malta. 2017-03-30. Retrieved 2017-06-11.
  17. ↑ Barry, Duncan (2015-07-01). "Malta unemployment levels at a 'historic low' – Employment Minister Evarist Bartolo". The Malta Independent. Archived from the original on 2015-10-13. Retrieved 2017-03-12.
  18. ↑ Borg, Jacob (2017-01-29). "PM Muscat speaks of Malta's 'economic miracle'". Times of Malta. Archived from the original on 2017-01-29. Retrieved 2017-06-11.
  19. ↑ "Opposition has set a new benchmark in political opportunism - Gonzi". Times of Malta. 2012-06-04. Archived from the original on 2012-06-07. Retrieved 2017-06-11.
  20. ↑ "A farewell to meritocracy". MaltaToday. 2015-03-24. Archived from the original on 2016-05-12. Retrieved 2017-06-11.
  21. ↑ Schembri Orland, Kevin (2017-05-08). "Labour's environmental credentials: 'the facts speak for themselves' – FAA". The Malta Independent. Retrieved 2017-06-12.
  22. ↑ Cooper, Harry (2017-04-26). "Corruption allegations threaten to wreck Muscat's premiership". politico.eu. Archived from the original on 2017-06-06. Retrieved 2017-06-11.
  23. ↑ "Prime Minister Joseph Muscat wins Malta election". AlJazeera. 2017-06-04. Archived from the original on 2017-06-07. Retrieved 2017-06-11.
  24. 1 2 3 4 5 Sansone, Kurt (2013-03-11). "Youngest since Independence". Times of Malta. Archived from the original on 2014-08-21. Retrieved 2017-06-11.
  25. ↑ "The Economic Update June 2013". Malta Economic Update. June 2013. Retrieved 2017-06-11.
  26. 1 2 3 "Dr. Joseph Muscat (2013 - )". Department of Information, Malta, (DOI). Archived from the original on 2016-04-16.
  27. 1 2 3 4 "We Have Yet to See the Best of Malta". www.maltaprofile.info. 2015-06-05. Archived from the original on 2015-07-13. Retrieved 2017-06-11.
  28. 1 2 3 "Dr. Joseph Muscat". gov.mt. Archived from the original on 2017-08-29. Retrieved 2017-08-29.
  29. ↑ Dalli, Miriam (2014-03-17). "Prime Minister 'acts like he's some Super One journalist' – Busuttil". MaltaToday. Archived from the original on 2014-08-24. Retrieved 2017-06-11.
  30. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "The Economic Update June 2013". Malta Economic Update. June 2013. Retrieved 2017-06-11.
  31. ↑ Debono, James (2010-05-02). "Joseph Muscat: trusted but an unknown quantity" (PDF). MaltaToday. Retrieved 2017-06-12.
  32. ↑ Malta Voters Narrowly Approve Joining European Union Archived 2016-11-26 at the Wayback Machine., New York Times, March 10, 2003
  33. ↑ "Electoral Commission of Malta". Electoral Commission of Malta. Retrieved 2017-06-11.
  34. ↑ "Joseph Muscat asks European Commission to look into satellite licence issue". Times of Malta. 2004-06-06. Retrieved 2017-06-11.
  35. ↑ Muscat, Joseph (2006-05-08). "The case for free football". Times of Malta. Archived from the original on 2015-09-26. Retrieved 2017-06-11.
  36. ↑ Muscat, Joseph (2004-08-30). "An innovative approach to environment protection". Times of Malta. Archived from the original on 2016-04-16. Retrieved 2017-06-11.
  37. ↑ "Maħfra u ġustizzja". Department of Information, Malta. 23 December 2008. Archived from the original on 6 December 2016.
  38. 1 2 3 "Election For Malta Labour Party leader: Muscat three votes short of leadership". The Malta Independent. 2008-06-06. Retrieved 2017-06-11.
  39. 1 2 "Parlament Ta' Malta". Parlament ta' Malta. Archived from the original on 2017-06-03. Retrieved 2017-06-11.
  40. ↑ Xuereb, Matthew (2008-11-09). "MLP to become Partit Laburista". Times of Malta. Archived from the original on 2016-03-27. Retrieved 2017-06-11.
  41. ↑ Sansone, Kurt (2010-05-19). "Labour expects resistance to party emblem change". Times of Malta. Archived from the original on 2012-07-13. Retrieved 2017-06-11.
  42. ↑ "Malta Electoral Commission". Malta Electoral Commission. Retrieved 2017-06-11.
  43. ↑ "General Elections 2013 - District 4". gov.mt. Archived from the original on 2013-03-15.
  44. ↑ "European Commission - PRESS RELEASES - Press release - President Barroso congratulates Dr Joseph Muscat following electoral victory in Malta". europa.eu. Archived from the original on 2013-10-19.
  45. 1 2 3 4 Dalli, Miriam (2016-03-11). "Muscat looks back at three years in government: 'economic success, social revolution'". MaltaToday. Archived from the original on 2016-04-21. Retrieved 2017-06-11.
  46. 1 2 "Panama Papers 'mother of all corruption cases', continues to haunt Labour – Beppe Fenech Adami". The Malta Independent. 2017-02-20. Archived from the original on 2017-02-22. Retrieved 2017-06-11.
  47. ↑ Grech, Helena (2017-04-21). "DCG uploads alleged text showing Egrant declaration of Trust, Michelle Muscat named". The Malta Independent. Archived from the original on 2017-05-05. Retrieved 2017-06-11.
  48. 1 2 Scicluna, Chris (2017-06-03). "Malta votes in snap election amid corruption scandal". Reuters. Archived from the original on 2017-06-07. Retrieved 2017-06-11.
  49. 1 2 3 Borġ, Bertram (2018-07-22). "Egrant inquiry finds falsified signatures, differing testimonies and no proof". Times of Malta. Retrieved 2018-09-19.
  50. ↑ https://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20180722/local/egrant-inquiry-no-evidence-linking-michelle-muscat-to-egrant.685044
  51. ↑ https://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/88366/adrian_delia_has_asked_simon_busuttil_to_resign_from_pn_parliamentary_group#.W6E8Y-h_JEY
  52. ↑ Galea, Albert (2018-07-22). "'Crystal clear' proof Egrant allegations were 'undisputed and elaborate attempt at frame-up' - PM". The Malta Independent. The Malta Independent. Retrieved 2018-09-29.
  53. ↑ Sansone, Kurt (2017-06-01). "Parties hold final mass meetings". Times of Malta. Archived from the original on 2017-09-05. Retrieved 2017-07-13.
  54. 1 2 3 Dalli, Miriam (2017-05-02). "Muscat launches Labour election campaign: 'Our country's best days'". MaltaToday. Archived from the original on 2017-07-12. Retrieved 2017-07-13.
  55. ↑ "Muscat promises tax cuts for all, better pensions, resurfacing of all roads". Times of Malta. 2017-05-02. Archived from the original on 2017-09-05. Retrieved 2017-07-13.
  56. ↑ Sansone, Kurt (2017-05-17). "Labour manifesto is plan for quality leap forward, Muscat says". Times of Malta. Archived from the original on 2017-09-05. Retrieved 2017-07-13.
  57. ↑ "Labour makes promises in transport, education, health, environment, business sectors". Times of Malta. 2017-05-08. Archived from the original on 2017-09-04. Retrieved 2017-07-13.
  58. ↑ "The Labour Party's five most ambitious electoral proposals". The Malta Independent. 2017-05-30. Archived from the original on 2017-05-30. Retrieved 2017-07-13.
  59. ↑ "Labour cruises to 55% majority; Muscat says people have chosen to stay the course". Times of Malta. 2017-06-04. Archived from the original on 2017-06-07. Retrieved 2017-06-11.
  60. ↑ "Electoral Commission of Malta". Electoral Commission of Malta. Retrieved 2017-06-11.
  61. ↑ "Tusk and Juncker congratulate Prime Minister Muscat for Sunday's electoral success". The Malta Independent. 2017-06-07. Archived from the original on 2017-06-07. Retrieved 2017-06-11.
  62. ↑ Grech, Helena (2017-06-04). "PM Muscat commits himself to passing gay marriage law before summer". The Malta Independent. Archived from the original on 2017-06-18.
  63. ↑ Diacono, Tim (2017-07-05). "Muscat tests conservative PN MPs by calling vote on gay marriage Bill". MaltaToday. Archived from the original on 2017-08-01. Retrieved 2017-08-23.
  64. ↑ Crisp, James (2017-07-04). "Brexit is a 'disastrous creature' the EU 'did nothing to stop', says Malta PM Joseph Muscat". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 2017-08-24. Retrieved 2017-08-23.
  65. ↑ Boffey, Daniel (2017-07-28). "Maltese PM: I'm starting to believe Brexit will not happen". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 2017-08-23. Retrieved 2017-08-23.
  66. ↑ Muscat, Joseph (2017-07-04). "Speech by Prime Minister Joseph Muscat to review the Maltese Presidency during the European Parliament's plenary session held in Strasbourg, 4th July 2017". Gov.mt. Archived from the original on 2017-08-23.
  67. ↑ Miriam Dalli, "Minister, parliamentary secretaries return to work" Archived 2014-04-10 at the Wayback Machine., Malta Today, 8 April 2014.
  68. ↑ "Past Recipients of Maltese Honours and Awards and Date of Conferment" (PDF). Office of the Prime Minister, Malta. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2016-11-05.
  69. ↑ Honorary awards Archived 2016-05-18 at the Wayback Machine.
Party political offices
Preceded by
Alfred Sant		 Leader of the Labour Party
2008–present		 Incumbent
Political offices
Preceded by
Alfred Sant		 Leader of the Opposition
2008–2013		 Succeeded by
Lawrence Gonzi
Preceded by
Lawrence Gonzi		 Prime Minister of Malta
2013–present		 Incumbent
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by
Maithripala Sirisena		 Chairperson of the Commonwealth of Nations
2015-2018		 Succeeded by
Theresa May
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