Born in Victoria, Gozo, in 1952, President Spiteri Debono is a notary and will become the first female Gozitan appointed President. Her political career includes stints in the Labour Party’s National Executive. Myriam had unsuccessful attempts as a candidate in the general elections. However, in 1996 she was appointed as the first woman speaker of the House.
Faced with a razor-thin majority government, her two year tenure as the Speaker of Parliament was notably challenging, having to navigate the turbulent 1998 political crisis. The constitutional dilemmas of her time included handling the complexity of a parliamentary deadlock following disagreements within the Labour Party. Despite these challenges and her political allegiances, she stood true to her role. It was a period that tested her resolve and proved her potential for the role President.
Spiteri Debono is the first president that required a two-thirds majority approval of Parliament. Despite initial concerns that an agreement would not be reached, the PM’s proposal was met with unanimous approval from both sides of Parliament. The widespread acceptance shows the respect she commands across the political spectrum which bodes well in her fulfilling the role of unifying the nation.
Spiteri Debono’s roots in Labour activism should go down well with the party’s core voters and will likely reassure the party base that the President will not hinder the government’s legislative ambitions. The notary also has experience dealing with delicate constitutional issues making her qualified for this job. Meanwhile, the President’s tribute to Daphne Caruana Galizia might have garnered the respect from the Nationalist Party. In addition, PN stalwart Francis Zammit Dimech will be appointed as Acting President, possibly making the opposition more likely to accept this package deal.
But what are the expectations of the new President?
Her broad support across the political spectrum, and her ability to rise above partisan politics, suggest that she could play a pivotal role in fostering unity. This creates a reasonable expectation that she will serve as a unifying figure. Also, her tenure comes in a period where there have been calls for a national discussion on constitutional reform. Spiteri Debono is suited to facilitating dialogues aimed at strengthening Malta’s democratic institutions and frameworks.
This article was a collaboration with Lovin Malta.
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