Free
87
/ 100
| Political Rights | 35 / 40 |
| Civil Liberties | 52 / 60 |
Last Year's Score & Status
87 / 100 Free
A country or territory’s Freedom in the World status depends on its aggregate Political Rights score, on a scale of 0–40, and its aggregate Civil Liberties score, on a scale of 0–60. See the methodology.
Malta is a parliamentary democracy with regular, competitive elections and periodic rotations of power. New and smaller political parties encounter difficulties in challenging the dominance of the two main parties, and official corruption is a serious problem. While civil liberties are generally respected, mistreatment of migrant workers and asylum seekers remains a concern.
- In March, Parliament unanimously elected Myriam Spiteri Debono of the ruling Labour Party (LP) to serve as president of Malta, a largely ceremonial position.
- Also that month, The Shift News reported that it had won 40 information-request cases before the Information and Data Protection Commissioner Appeals Tribunal and 18 cases in court since 2021, but that ministries and government agencies had still refused to provide the requested information. The Council of Europe’s Group of States Against Corruption (GRECO) has recommended that implementation of the country’s 2008 Freedom of Information Act be subjected to an independent review.
- Prosecutors filed charges in May against former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and more than a dozen other high-ranking officials following the completion of an inquiry into the fraudulent 2015 privatization of three state-owned hospitals. A number of other corruption investigations or prosecutions, on matters including a social-benefits fraud scheme and alleged kickbacks from an energy company, were ongoing during the year.
- A media investigation found in June that 99 percent of donations to the LP and the opposition Nationalist Party (PN) came from unknown sources. Separately, as of the end of 2024, the PN had not submitted its financial reports for the previous three years to the Electoral Commission.
This report has been abridged for Freedom in the World 2025 due to ongoing budget constraints. Freedom in the World is entirely funded by nongovernmental sources such as private foundations, corporations, and individuals like you. Please consider making a donation to support future editions of this vital resource.
For additional background information, see last year’s full report.
A1 0-4 pts
| Was the current head of government or other chief national authority elected through free and fair elections? | 4 / 4 |
A2 0-4 pts
| Were the current national legislative representatives elected through free and fair elections? | 4 / 4 |
A3 0-4 pts
| Are the electoral laws and framework fair, and are they implemented impartially by the relevant election management bodies? | 4 / 4 |
B1 0-4 pts
| Do the people have the right to organize in different political parties or other competitive political groupings of their choice, and is the system free of undue obstacles to the rise and fall of these competing parties or groupings? | 3 / 4 |
B2 0-4 pts
| Is there a realistic opportunity for the opposition to increase its support or gain power through elections? | 4 / 4 |
B3 0-4 pts
| Are the people’s political choices free from domination by forces that are external to the political sphere, or by political forces that employ extrapolitical means? | 3 / 4 |
B4 0-4 pts
| Do various segments of the population (including ethnic, racial, religious, gender, LGBT+, and other relevant groups) have full political rights and electoral opportunities? | 4 / 4 |
C. FUNCTIONING OF GOVERNMENT: 9 / 12
C1 0-4 pts
| Do the freely elected head of government and national legislative representatives determine the policies of the government? | 4 / 4 |
C2 0-4 pts
| Are safeguards against official corruption strong and effective? | 2 / 4 |
C3 0-4 pts
| Does the government operate with openness and transparency? | 3 / 4 |
D1 0-4 pts
| Are there free and independent media? | 3 / 4 |
D2 0-4 pts
| Are individuals free to practice and express their religious faith or nonbelief in public and private? | 4 / 4 |
D3 0-4 pts
| Is there academic freedom, and is the educational system free from extensive political indoctrination? | 4 / 4 |
D4 0-4 pts
| Are individuals free to express their personal views on political or other sensitive topics without fear of surveillance or retribution? | 3 / 4 |
E1 0-4 pts
| Is there freedom of assembly? | 4 / 4 |
E2 0-4 pts
| Is there freedom for nongovernmental organizations, particularly those that are engaged in human rights– and governance-related work? | 4 / 4 |
E3 0-4 pts
| Is there freedom for trade unions and similar professional or labor organizations? | 4 / 4 |
F1 0-4 pts
| Is there an independent judiciary? | 4 / 4 |
F2 0-4 pts
| Does due process prevail in civil and criminal matters? | 3 / 4 |
F3 0-4 pts
| Is there protection from the illegitimate use of physical force and freedom from war and insurgencies? | 3 / 4 |
F4 0-4 pts
| Do laws, policies, and practices guarantee equal treatment of various segments of the population? | 2 / 4 |
G1 0-4 pts
| Do individuals enjoy freedom of movement, including the ability to change their place of residence, employment, or education? | 4 / 4 |
G2 0-4 pts
| Are individuals able to exercise the right to own property and establish private businesses without undue interference from state or nonstate actors? | 4 / 4 |
G3 0-4 pts
| Do individuals enjoy personal social freedoms, including choice of marriage partner and size of family, protection from domestic violence, and control over appearance? | 3 / 4 |
G4 0-4 pts
| Do individuals enjoy equality of opportunity and freedom from economic exploitation? | 3 / 4 |
