Former foreign affairs minister George Vella has been confirmed as Malta’s next President.

The government said in a statement that Cabinet has unanimously approved a proposal by Prime Minister Joseph Muscat for Vella, 76, to become the next President.

In a Facebook video, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat announced that he had officially put forward his nomination for George Vella to be Malta’s next president

“I believe that Dr Vella has the essential qualities that are needed for him to carry on the stellar tradition of this country’s Heads of State,” Joseph Muscat said, going on to praise Vella on his integrity.

George Vella will officially replace Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca on 4th April

Coleiro Preca will remain in charge of the President’s Foundation for the Wellbeing of Society, which she set up during her tenure as President.

A doctor by profession, Vella has enjoyed a long career in politics and was a Labour MP from 1981 till 2017. He was deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister in Alfred Sant’s Cabinet between 1996 and 1998 and was re-appointed Foreign Affairs Minister when Labour won the 2013 election. He retired from politics ahead of the 2017 election.

He is renowned for his socially conservative positions, having come out against gay marriage, embryo freezing and particularly against abortion.

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Tim Diacono

Tim is interested in the rapid evolution of human society and is passionate about justice, human rights and cutting-edge political debates. You can follow him on Instagram or Twitter/X at @timdiacono or reach out to him at [email protected]