[20] Constitutional experts, legal bodies, and other representatives stated that Muscat's decision to remain in office until January 2020 and to have a more than six-week Parliamentary recess over Christmas[21][22] led to the crisis within Maltese institutions.

[41] Its modern governmental body - a unicameral chamber known as the House of Representatives - was predominated by a two-party system, of which the Labour Party, led by Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, holds the majority of seats.

This has resulted in a worse Corruption Perceptions Index compared to several other similar small economically advanced nations like Denmark, Singapore, Luxembourg, New Zealand, and Hong Kong.

In October 2019, as the second anniversary of the assassination approached, Civil Society organised a protest march, with the US Embassy issuing a statement, reiterating its offer to help Maltese investigators.

~ Netherlands Ministry for Foreign Affairs, 16 October 2019On 11 November 2019, Muscat's chief of staff, Keith Schembri, dropped a libel case against Simon Busuttil, in order to avoid testifying about 17 Black, a shell company based in Dubai, which had become implicated with the Panama Papers.

[65] This FIAU intelligence report furthermore identified, in a leaked email, that 17 Black was "one of two sources of income for the Panama companies Hearnville and Tillgate", which were "set up by OPM consultants Nexia BT for Dr Mizzi and the Prime Minister's chief of staff Keith Schembri".

[71] Early on 20 November 2019, Fenech was intercepted at sea by an Armed Forces of Malta (AFM) patrol boat, while allegedly attempting to flee the country on his private yacht, one day after Theuma's presidential pardon.

On 20 November, civil society groups led by Repubblika, Occupy Justice, and manueldelia.com, announced a protest in front of the Prime Minister's Office, Auberge de Castille, calling for Muscat's resignation.

[84] That day pressure continued to mount for Mizzi and Schembri's resignation,[85] with cabinet members commenting publicly on the need for the country not to protect murderers and money launderers,[86] while Malta's reputation was suffering "almost irreparable" damage.

[98] Following the disturbances of 26 November, steel barricades were placed in front of parliament, Auberge de Castille and on Merchants' Street, as police increased security ahead of the day's planned protest.

[106] In the early hours of the morning on 29 November, after the protest which began in the evening the previous day, unknown security officials clashed with demonstrators and journalists were forcibly kept within the Ambassadors' Hall in Auberge de Castille.

After the main protest, a smaller crowd gathered beneath the Great Siege Monument in front of the Daphne memorial where flowers and candles were left in tribute.

Caruana Galizia family members, the Chamber of Advocates, law experts, Moviment Graffitti, and other critics feared that Muscat's insistence on remaining in office was a conflict of interest with investigations into suspects closely associated with him ongoing.

Authorities laid out hundreds of metres of steel barricades in the square in front of parliament in the afternoon, considerably limiting the area in which civil society activists were able to protest.

[129] A journalist was assaulted by staff members of the Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Rights Clint Camilleri, as she attempted to ask whether he believed the Prime Minister ought to resign immediately.

[134] Muscat was meeting with a delegation of the European Parliament dispatched to Malta for an urgent mission following a political crisis sparked by developments in the Caruana Galizia murder investigation.

[141] Protesters held European Union (EU) and Maltese flags and sometimes shouting "mafia" and throwing fake €5,000 notes demanding the interrogation of Muscat and the arrest of Schembri.

[152] Thousands walked on Castille in a protest march led by Caruana Galizia's parents, carrying flags, placards and chanting calls for justice and against corruption.

[152][161] The crowd was then addressed by Andre Callus from Moviment Graffitti, who called for an end to the blind partisanship that led Malta to this situation and that Muscat's unparalleled defence of Schembri left a "bad stench" in Castille.

[187] President George Vella, on his way to the Grandmaster's Palace for the official ceremonies, was greeted with both applause and jeers, with the crowd protesting, whistling and chanting throughout a military parade along Republic Street.

[189] Ahead of the official ceremony, President Vella appealed for unity, describing the current events as "very particular circumstances," and that Malta was far bigger than the "gang of people" who have brought shame on the country.

Addressing the crowd, Vicki Ann Cremona warned that the same "demonisation campaign" against Caruana Galizia was now being applied to the NGOs and the organisers of repeated protests calling for the prime minister's resignation.

Vicki Ann Cremona of Repubblika and Manuel Delia denied the rumour, stating that becoming a political party would be contrary to the group's aim of achieving "the rule of law".

[203] Unable to hold a public meeting due to the COVID-19 pandemic, banners to commemorate the first anniversary of the protests carrying photos of politicians and criticising some for being in denial and not providing answers despite a number of resignations and early retirements, were erected.

[216] Claims about throwing of urine bags could not be verified by journalists,[213] while Moviment Graffitti insisted the soldier was not injured in its protest, but had stumbled and slipped on a ledge in the hallway.

[218] Opposition MEP David Casa said that the idea that Muscat should hold on to power was "insane", that Malta was on the precipice and that "a government that murders its own citizens has absolutely no place in the European Union.

[223][224] Government authorities continued to remove a makeshift memorial to Caruana Galizia in front of the Law Courts, even a few hours after protesters leave flowers and photographs.

[240] With Finland holding the EU Council's rotating presidency, Finnish European Affairs Minister Tytti Tupparainen said she was concerned by the rule of law situation in Malta.

[241] Reporters Without Borders UK director Rebecca Vincent underscored the lack of political accountability in Malta around the case, as well as the problems relating to rule of law and freedom of expression.

[145] Carlo Bonini, an Italian mafia expert and author of a book on the investigations carried out by Caruana Galizia, described Malta as a "mafia-state [...] revealing how democracies can degenerate.