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Who is to be the next President of Malta? Most punters would put their money on the outgoing Prime Minister, Eddie Fenech Adami. The choice would most certainly be welcomed by his party, his followers and a number of persons who would see in his appointment the crowning of his years of service to the state. To many a person this choice would give further prestige to this office.
There are however two sides to every question. One must study the evidence and the arguments fully.
A close analysis of the choice raises many a question which must be addressed in the national interest. First and foremost, the constitutional position of President is a unifying post. The Presidency embodies and symbolises the unity of the nation. The President is the person who must be seen to be the unifying force in the country. It is this capacity to unite which is the acid test for eligibility to the post. The bottom line consideration remains will Eddie Fenech Adami be accepted by Labour Party followers as their President or not? We have our sincerest doubts whether Labour Party followers will be so magnanimous as to accept the person who beat them in national elections on five occasions, and who has over the years been their political adversary as well as a source of discomfort, not to use a stronger words, as their President.
One may run the argument that irrespective of the unease Labour followers may feel about this choice, the legal requirement simply allows the present Government, after approval from cabinet and after consultations with the Opposition, with its majority in parliament, to go ahead. It may be argued that Fenech Adami will surely rise to the occasion and put partisan politics behind him. After all this is the man who has placed national reconciliation as his political dream. There is little doubt that this course of action is open to Government but it would be unwise politically to simply bulldoze its way through. Neither would this be in keeping with Lawrence Gonzi’s target to do politics differently. It may further polarise the country.
The truth is that Dr Fenech Adami holds all the aces. He is in a position of total power and control. The choice to be or not to be is clearly his and his alone. It is most unlikely that the Prime minister in waiting will not accede to his wishes.
Herein lies the cardinal test for the Prime Minister in spite of the position being his for the taking, does he still go ahead with the intention of serving the country or does he himself acknowledge that as a past leader of a political party he is not in the best of positions to unify the country since there will always be a strong perception that he belongs to half the nation. Doubts must abound even in his mind.
The matter becomes further complicated since the perception will develop that the new Prime Minister will operate in the shadow of the President. Many will read into this appointment that Fenech Adami will still be pulling the strings. It will take that much longer for the new head of Government to establish his own style and political persona. As such it is neither in the interests of the new Prime Minister that this goes ahead.
Our choice remains firmly in favour of a person not chosen from the political class and less so from the ruling political party. Yes this would be a break with established convention since all former Presidents barring Prof Anthony Mamo were politicians. Surely this break is warranted if we really believe in doing politics differently.
The political class surely can come up with one name of an integral and trustworthy person who commands the respect of the whole nation. Having a President acceptable to all would go a long way to starting to build a culture of national unity.
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