Helena Dalli Set To Become Malta’s Next Acting President
Former European Commissioner Helena Dalli is expected to be appointed Malta’s acting president, filling a role that has remained vacant since April.
Dalli confirmed her willingness to take on the position say that she “always did and will continue to do what was needed for the country”.
Malta has been without an acting president since the death of former minister and MP Francis Zammit Dimech on 21st April. Since then, Parliamentary Speaker Anġlu Farrugia has stepped in on an interim basis.
The acting president assumes all the constitutional responsibilities of the head of state when the president is abroad or unable to perform her duties due to health reasons. This includes signing laws, presiding over state functions, and acting on advice from the prime minister.
Unlike the president, who must be appointed by a two-thirds majority in Parliament, the acting president can be nominated unilaterally by the government. There is no fixed term, and the individual takes the oath of office each time they are required to step in.
Dalli, a long-serving Labour politician, was a contender for the presidency back in 2024 however her candidacy stalled after the Nationalist Party opposed her appointment.
The post ultimately went to Myriam Spiteri Debono, a former Speaker of the House.
Dalli began her political career in 1996, when Alfred Sant appointed her as Parliamentary Secretary for Women’s Rights. She later held ministerial portfolios from 2013, including civil liberties, social dialogue, and European affairs.
In 2019, Dalli became Malta’s first female European Commissioner, overseeing equality under Ursula von der Leyen’s first administration.
While Dalli’s expected appointment does not require formal confirmation by Parliament, it signals the government’s confidence in her experience and seniority.
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