Josie Muscat

Josie Muscat (born 31 July 1943) is a Maltese politician, a former Nationalist MP (1966–87), an independent local councillor in Marsascala (2006–09) and co-founder of Azzjoni Nazzjonali (AN) (2007). He is a qualified doctor of medicine.

After the general elections of 2008, Josie Muscat decided to resign as leader of Azzjoni Nazzjonali after he and his party failed to win any seats.

Just two months after he resigned, he was persuaded to stay on as Party Leader because no other party member contested his seat. Muscat was, therefore, confirmed leader.

In 2012, he argued that men who beat women generally did so “as a reaction to provocation”^[1]

In 2017, Josie Muscat will be contesting the upcoming election on behalf of the Nationalist Party, more than 30 years after he fell out with the party leadership. In a surprise move, the PN approved his candidature on the second district, a Labour Party stronghold. Dr Muscat, 74, had served as a Nationalist MP until 1987, but had differences with the party after having, on his own, held talks with Dom Mintoff following the 1981 political crisis. He formed the Front Freedom Fighters after the 1981 election when Labour was re-elected with a majority of seats despite not getting the majority of votes. The grouping was a form of resistance action against Labour's authoritarian elements but its members were seen by many as sympathisers of European fascism. He broke from the party by voting against the constitutional amendments which preceded the 1987 elections, which he did not contest. Dr Muscat was leader of the PN youth section from 1967 to 1973 and later headed its workers' section. After 1987 he withdrew from political life and made a name for himself in the medical sector, particularly in the treatment of infertility.

He is not to be confused with namesake Prime Minister of Malta and Malta Labour Party Leader Joseph Muscat.

References

1. ↑ ‘Most men are provoked into domestic violence’. Times of Malta. Wednesday, September 26, 2012