The papacy, politics, and the day-to-day: Our most read stories from 2025
The news never rests, and that statement certainly holds true for 2025.
The last 12 months had no shortage of scandals, political upheaval, world-stopping news, accidents, incidents, and tragedies.
This was all reflected in The Malta Independent‘s 40 most read stories during 2025.
The Pope’s passing
Without a doubt one of the moments that the world stopped in its tracks in 2025 was on 21 April, when the Vatican announced that Pope Francis had passed away.
This set in motion a process rooted in history – the Conclave. The secretive nature of the process meant that speculation was rife – and the speculation had particular relevance for Malta, as in some quarters it appeared that Gozitan Cardinal Mario Grech was one of the names being touted to take up the papacy.
This is reflected in our most read story’s this year, with multiple stories centred on the Conclave and eventual election of Pope Leo XIV.
The Malta Independent covered the Conclave through several pieces of reporting and analysis, ranging from understanding the Conclave process, who was in line to succeed Pope Francis, and profiles and commentary on the new pope.
Scandal and politics
It wouldn’t be Malta without a sprinkling of scandals and politics thrown into the mix during the year. By far the biggest political story of 2025 was the sudden resignation of Nationalist Party leader Bernard Grech and the subsequent election of Alex Borg in his stead.
This newspaper offered wall to wall coverage of the election process and Borg’s first days as leader, and this featured in the list of most read stories proving that however much we speak about a growing sense of current affairs apathy: the Maltese still can’t get enough of politics.
Two opinion pieces related to Borg – both published before a PN leadership election was only a figment of the imagination – penned by regular TMIS columnist, Kevin Cassar also featured in our list of top stories.
The opinion pieces were critical of Borg and what he represented – something that Borg, and much of the PN’s parliamentary group took umbrage against, thereby shifting the pieces into the national headline cycle.
One of the scandals which also hit the headlines this year was the legal action taken against Nationalist Party local councillor Francine Farrugia, as she was charged with defrauding MCAST of €2.3 million which, the courts heard, she then used to purchase properties, cars, and luxury clothes, among others.
Murder and tragedy
2025 was a year which, sadly, featured its own share of tragic deaths. Such instances invariably take up the headlines, purely because of the tragic and sad nature of it all.
Twenty-one people tragically died in accidents on Malta’s roads during 2025, and that’s not to mention another six people who died in two road accidents abroad – four in Croatia and two in Sicily.
There were also four murders during 2025. One especially shocking incident happened on a sleepy Sunday morning, where a minor car crash turned into a road rage incident which culminated in the murder of Jean Paul Busuttil. The murder seemed to particularly impact readers, with this being our fifth most read story of the year.
Another shocking near-tragedy featured highly in our most read stories as well. On 11 June, the raucous summer Paceville night air was rocked by the dramatic collapse of an apartment building – shocking Malta and re-igniting memories of past fatal construction collapse tragedies.
In this instance, tragedy was averted: nobody was injured and the apartment block was empty when it collapsed as 32 residents had been evacuated from it some hours before. But the media inquest that followed exposed more and more about the case, and the instability of the building.
The day-to-day challenges
Like every year, several of the day-to-day struggles faced in various facets of Maltese life made the headlines and captured people’s interests.
This year’s most-read story concerned updates and adjustments to the computation for pensioners born before 1962, while other popular stories highlighted a study showing that many children are going to school hungry, and topics such as overpopulation, hunting, and housing also featured.
There were other more human stories that took prominence too.
Particular among them was the story of Christianne Farrugia and Erika Spiteri who are now taking steps toward becoming Augustinian Sisters, while an interview with weather forecaster Brian Micallef from the Meteorological Office, which delved into the process behind the island’s short-term weather forecasting, also proved to be a hit with reads.
Our most read stories of 2025
1. Budget 2026: Pensioners born before 1962 to benefit from further adjustments
2. Transport Malta to turn Għadira into largest boat mooring area in the country – Momentum
3. From curiosity to calling: two young women explore life as Augustinian nuns
4. Biker dies in St Andrew’s accident
5. Man shot and killed after minor car crash turns into road rage in Bidnija
6. Property, cars, luxury clothes: PN councillor Francine Farrugia charged with €2.3 million fraud
7. Paceville collapse: Architect found damage that wasn’t present at time of condition report last year
8. Children in Malta going to school hungry and left without care, study finds
9. Why was Alex Borg so offended?
10. Who are the leading candidates to succeed Pope Francis?
11. Pope Leo XIV – biography
12. Four Maltese dead in car accident in Croatia
13. Labour’s Trojan horse
14. “Bonus for hard work”, previously known as income tax refund, starts being distributed
15. Bursting at the seams: How overpopulation is pushing Malta to the brink
16. Police investigating death of one-year-old child
17. Child dies, man missing at sea at Ramla l-Hamra
18. Woman dies in St Julian’s traffic accident
19. “Forecasting Malta’s weather is like aiming for a bullseye,” weather forecaster says
20. “It is evident that we are running out of space,” tourism professor says
21. Implementation of Labour Migration Policy to start from 1 August, with new controls
22. “It has always been my dream” – two Maltese women walk along Malta’s coastline in a five-day adventure
23. Swimming area to be enlarged, kiosks removed in announced Blue Lagoon rehabilitation plan
24. Malta to scrap golden passport scheme and enhance citizenship-by-merit instead
25. Malta: The island where hunting rarely stops
26. PN Leader announces names of new party CEO, campaign manager and other appointments
27. 17-year-old arrested over hit and run that left one man dead
28. Company which owned part of Paceville-collapsed building considers legal action
29. Francine Farrugia requested changes to audit files after submission, court told
30. Maltese authorities to launch ‘digital wallet’ by December 2026
31. Could Cardinal Mario Grech be the next Pope?
32. Valletta archpriest says ‘coordinated attacks’ aimed to keep people away from St Paul’s feast
33. Newcastle Disease confirmed in poultry population in Malta
34. Let Leo be Leo: Why calling new pope “Ljun” just doesn’t sound right
35. Change in leadership will not on its own be a solution for the PN’s troubles – Andrew Azzopardi
36. Concrete Island: Life in Malta’s never-ending building site
37. Collapsed apartment block had “long-standing structural issues”, Portelli’s company says
38. PN leader’s partner caught driving without licence, insurance; apologises for mishap
39. Data shows many young couples opting to buy two properties, not one – Housing Authority CEO
40. Malta named as ninth most overcrowded tourist destination worldwide, New York Post reports
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