Malta has dropped a staggering 16 places in the Freedom House report, which deals with democracy and liberty in 195 countries. In 2016, Malta placed 17th, with a score of 96 out of a possible 100, but in 2017 Malta lost four points to 92, dropping to 33rd place.
Freedom House lists Malta as a free country, but the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia last October had a negative effect on the country’s rating. The specific country report on Malta is still to be published.
Finland, Norway and Sweden top the list with a perfect 100 score, with North Korea, Eritrea and South Sudan at the other end of the scale.