The first two years of participation, Malta sang in Maltese
with disastrous consequences, and were fortunate that the voting systems then in
place wouldn't permit "nul points". After one further attempt in
English that was more successful they took a sixteen year break
from the contest They returned in the early 90s and
compiled a solid record throughout that decade at a time when only they, Ireland
and the UK were permitted to sing in English.
When the language rule changed in 1999
their
showing didn't immediately decline, in fact they scored their best results:
second places in 2002 and 2005, however the last two years have
seen a dramatic loss of form.
