Wanted: a president with a voice

Political division often dominates the headlines. It was, therefore, a relief to see a rare example of political maturity. The fact that all government and opposition MPs agreed on the appointments of Myriam Spiteri Debono as President of the Republic and Francis Zammit Dimech as Acting President, signals a fleeting moment of unity. And this just weeks before another electoral test.

Robert Abela deserves credit for nominating Spiteri Debono, a credible candidate with an untarnished reputation. Bernard Grech should also be applauded for setting a high bar by accepting the nomination while refusing any candidate associated with Joseph Muscat’s era.

Spiteri Debono handled well the reins as the first female Speaker of the House during Alfred Sant’s turbulent two years in office, navigating a challenging political landscape with composure. Within the Labour camp for which she militated since the Dom Mintoff days, Spiteri Debono was lauded for her principled stance. And she did so away from the public glare. Her public re-emergence in 2021 with a speech for Victory Day celebrations won over her party’s staunchest critics.

While advocating for national redemption, she paid tribute to the slain journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia and underlined journalism as the fourth pillar of democracy.

Spiteri Debono said: “The fight for what is right, above all the fight for fair and proper governance, is continuous and challenges us every day. We can never relax our collective vigilance.”

Those were rare and encouraging comments from someone from the Labour camp who rose above partisanship and found their voice to condemn one of the most heinous acts of our history.

This openness fosters transparency and accountability, critical ingredients for a healthy democracy.

We hope Spiteri Debono’s presidency will not be silenced by the constraints of the office. On the contrary, the level of bipartisan support should grant her a stronger voice, potentially allowing her to transcend the limitations of the role.

Given the presidency’s limited role within our political system, the office is at its most effective when its holder leverages its moral authority. We need to hear a president speaking passionately about essential issues: from human rights to corruption, from environment degradation to unbridled greed to media literacy.

Malta faces a worrying trend of growing apathy towards politics, fuelled by a distinct perception of poor leadership across so many sectors of society. This disengagement creates fertile ground for extremism, particularly in the age of social media and artificial intelligence.

To counter this, the new president could step in to actively promote civic participation – something which has been lacking in the past years.

The last thing Malta needs is a president who said the bare minimum when Joseph Muscat was forced to resign in disgrace as his country went up in flames and appeared to do the bare minimum when the opposition was caught up in a leadership bloodbath. The last thing

Malta needs is a president who watched street after street fall victim to speculators and only spoke up on social media when the same speculators reached his village.

As the nation’s moral compass, the president has a crucial role to play.

Former Chief Justice Vincent de Gaetano articulated this responsibility perfectly in 2019, amid protests emerging from the Caruana Galizia murder fallout: “The president has the moral authority, even the moral duty, to denounce the erosion of constitutional morality.”

Heeding these words, Malta desperately needs a leader who breaks the mould of silent presidents who turn a blind eye to national disgrace.

Malta requires someone with the courage to speak out against injustice and inspire unity, even if takes the president to the limits of the straitjacket imposed by her office.

We wish Spiteri Debono and Zammit Dimech luck and hope they manage to promote the good side of politics.