Joseph Muscat exits Castille for the last time

Joseph Muscat exited Castille for the last time at 2pm, ending a six-year stint as prime minister.

Muscat left the prime minister’s office accompanied by his wife Michelle Muscat to attend the swearing-in ceremony at the Palace that will install his successor, Robert Abela.

He leaves office with a heavy shadow hanging over his premiership after his former chief of staff Keith Schembri was implicated in the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia.

Muscat became prime minister for the first time in March 2013. He went on to win a second term in office in June 2017 but announced his resignation last month in the wake of mounting protests and internal dissent sparked by the damning revelations.

Well-wishers greeted the outgoing prime minister as he made his way to the Palace for his successor's swearing-in

Muscat was applauded by a crowd of well-wishers who gathered outside Castille.

On Friday, in his farewell speech, Muscat said that he would be taking a back seat to allow the new leader space.

However, he also said that he would be active in the civil liberties field and sports.