The Maltese islands have a new president, and her name is Myriam Spiteri Debono!

She will be replacing President Geroge Vella and is the third woman in Malta to hold such a role, after Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca and Agatha Barbara.

The new President was previously the ‘Speaker of the House of Representatives of Malta’ from 1996 to 1998, having been the only woman to ever hold such a role.

Myriam Spiteri Debono was born on the 25th October, 1952 in Gozo and has spent her career working as a notary. She is married and is the mother of three children.

On the other hand, Francis Zammit Dimech is set to be Malta’s acting President. He was previously a member of the European Parliament from 2017-2019 as well as the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Tourism, Minister of Resources and Infrastructure, Minister for the Environment and Minister for Transport and Communications from 1992-2013. 

Malta’s new acting President was born on the 23rd October, 1954. Throughout his life, he has mainly worked as a lawyer but has ventured into many journalistic endeavours.

Both the President and the Acting President will hold this position for the next five years.