This year public figures increasingly took to Twitter to share their opinions in 140 characters or less. From the election to the citizenship scheme, Patrick Cooke looks at how the Twitterati responded to some of the year’s major events and debates.

Eurovision

As usual, the nation was gripped by Eurovision fever in May and the Twitterati were no different. Former Health Minister Joe Cassar (@DrJoeCassar) could not hide his excitement when Gianluca Bezzina got through his semi-final, tweeting on May 16: “Yeahhhh. Our Dr Gianluca Bezzina MD made it to the Eurovision final. Congratulations.”

The Twitter tension was palpable during the final itself, with blogger Andrew Borg Wirth (@aborgwirth) declaring: “Just need to see Gianluca’s smile again. 12 points someonnnnnnnne #eurovision”

The Maltese tenor was philosophical afterwards, tweeting that the winner “Denmark was good but I still prefer Gianluca... but fear not. The sun will rise tomorrow”

Immigration

Irregular migration remained a hot topic throughout much of 2013. In early July, the government threatened to fly newly-arrived Somalis back to Libya without allowing them to apply for asylum, prompting former Nationalist MP Karl Gouder (@kgouder) to tweet on July 9: “Today we have officially lost our humanity.”

The following day, the Prime Minister, after being stopped from repatriating the asylum seekers by the European Court of Human Rights, tweeted: “#Europe was quick to rescue banks, it should be quicker to rescue people. #Malta cannot be left alone to tackle #immigration.”

Following two boat tragedies involving migrants in the Mediterranean in October, BBC journalist Deirdre Finnerty (@deefinnerty) tweeted from a Maltese open centre on October 13: “While we were there one #Syrian migrant collapsed as he heard the news that his son had died. Others huddled around to comfort him.”

After vowing to achieve more support from the EU, the Prime Minister tweeted after the December 20 meeting of EU leaders: “#EU finally establishes timelines for concrete action on #immigration. An important step forward but more needs to be done.”

But Opposition leader Simon Busuttil saw it differently, tweeting: “Is anyone smelling Joseph’s coffee? Agence Europe feels that there will be “little real progress in sight on immigration.”

Civil unions and gay adoption

The bishops have waded into the debate on the government’s plans to introduce same-sex civil unions and allow gay couples to adopt.

Bishop Scicluna tweeted this month: “A word of support for the majority of the Maltese people (80 per cent) who are against adoption of children by gay couples but have no say.”

On the PN’s calls for an impact assessment on gay adoptions, the Prime Minister tweeted: “I never thought it would have been possible, but Busuttil made PN even more conservative than it was under Dr Gonzi. Incredible!”

Theatre producer Adrian Buckle (@unifauntheatre) has been a fierce critic of conservative opponents to civil unions and adoption rights, tweeting this month that Bishop Scicluna was “the face of hate, bigotry, discrimination and homophobia in Malta”.

Malta vs Italy World Cup match

Malta played host to the long-awaited Malta vs Italy World Cup qualifier in late March. Glen Bedingfield (‏@GlenBedingfield) from the Office of the Prime Minister followed the game closely on Twitter, remarking at one point: “#Malta Supporters singing ‘oh when the saints go marching in’ as if something will change! They’ll score a penalty maybe! #MaltaItalia”. Sadly, Malta missed a penalty and lost 2-0.

Election

The day after winning a landslide election victory on March 9, new Labour Prime Minister Joseph Muscat (@JosephMuscat_JM) tweeted: “The mandate is clear. It’s a humbling result. But Malta is not for election winners, it is for all.”

On the same day, his defeated predecessor Lawrence Gonzi (@Lawrence_Gonzi) tweeted: “I thank the people of Malta for entrusting me with the responsibility of leading the Government over the last nine years.”

Opera singer Joseph Calleja took to Twitter to declare he was sure Dr Muscat would “steer the country in the right direction and now is the time to forget colour and move forward as one united nation. Kudos goes to both sides for a seemingly calm process and congratulations to all.”

British-Maltese BBC journalist Mario Cacciottolo (@SOTMario), who was about to set off on a round-the-world adventure, tweeted: “Malta has a new prime minister – and he’s a few months younger than me. Still, he’s not off round the world soon.”

Citizenship scheme

Auxiliary Bishop Charles Scicluna (@BishopScicluna) also got involved in the debate on the government’s controversial plans to sell Maltese citizenship, tweeting on November 3: “An appeal to Malta MPs: do we really need to put Maltese citizenship on sale? Is citizenship a bond or a commodity? What else is on sale?”

PN MEP Roberta Metsola (@RobertaMetsola) tweeted that same month: “Removing the secrecy from #Malta’s #citizenship sale is too little too late. This outrageous law must be repealed before more damage is done.”

After the government unveiled a modified scheme without the approval of the Opposition on December 23, Environment Minister Leo Brincat (@partitlaburista) tweeted: “With economic constituted bodies’ support for new citizenship programme, Opposition out on a limb. Most likely envious of its econ[omic] potential”.

Former AD leader Michael Briguglio (@BriguglioMike) tweeted a few days later: “The cash-for-citizenship issue legitimises class inequality, but will not exorcise class conflict. Hence the radical undercurrent.”

Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting

Head of government communications Kurt Farrugia (@KurtFarrugia) was the target of some mockery for his choice of words when he tweeted in November: “Official: #Malta to host #CHOGM2015 after Heads of Govts decision. Consensus among int’l leaders confirms respect for Malta. Massive.” Despite the online jokes, the tweet is still there for all to see.

New Pope

Just four days after the election, Pope Francis was voted as the new pontiff following Benedict’s surprise abdication. Gozo Bishop Mario Grech (@GrechMario) tweeted on March 19: “On behalf of our diocese we extend our warm welcome to the Bishop of Rome, Francis, our Pope. We implore the Madonna Ta’ Pinu to protect him.”

Satirical character Lehen il-Mullah (@Satiristan) was more preoccupied with broadcaster Lou Bondi’s ‘presence’ at the Vatican, however, tweeting on March 11: “Lou Bondi arrestat fil-Vatikan hekk kif daħal jiġri fil-Konklavi b’cameraman warajh jinbaħ “X’inhu jiġri hawn?” (Lou Bondi arrested at the Vatican as he charges into the conclave with a cameraman barking ‘What’s happening here?’)

Lockerbie

As evidence mounted that the official account of the Lockerbie bombing was false, and the bomb was never loaded at Malta, the so-called architect of the Lockerbie trial Robert Black (@rblackqc) tweeted on November 27 following a programme on Times Talk:

“#Lockerbie: Maltese Foreign Minister George Vella sure #Megrahi innocent. Crown “lost” Tourism Minister’s evidence.”