The island of Malta is the European Union's smallest state. Yet it is giving Brussels one of its biggest headaches.

After the very public blowing up in her car of an investigative journalist in 2017, the slow investigation into her death took a dramatic turn earlier this week with the sudden resignation of the prime minister. Some of his closest associates have also gone.

But what are the reasons for this development? Why has Malta become the centre of such attention and scrutiny after centuries of relative obscurity? What do its travails tell us about modern European economies and the rule of law? And why does the European Union seem to struggle at ensuring political accountability among its member states?

David Aaronovitch invites us into The Briefing Room to discover the answers.

Editor Jasper Corbett