Having your father as the President, or a former President, may give a limited advantage to election candidates but it could also have disadvantages, according to the four election candidates whose fathers have held or hold the post of President.

The four are Beppe Fenech Adami - son of President Eddie Fenech Adami, who is a general election candidate for the first time; Mario de Marco, the son of President Emeritus Guido de Marco; Parliamentary Secretary Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici, the son of President Emeritus Ugo Mifsud Bonnici; and John Buttigieg, the son of the late President Anton Buttigieg..

Dr Fenech Adami, the son of the serving President, pointed out that, in his case, he was not only the son of a President but also the son of a former Prime Minister.

"No doubt, that has its advantages. If anything, when you introduce yourself to the electorate, they would have heard of you, or can make the connection," he said.

"The advantage is in being the son of an MP, not the son of the President. In my case, being the son of the President has its drawbacks. I cannot mention my father or have pictures of my father in election literature, he cannot attend my functions and he is not involved in my campaign. Actually, I cannot even have my mother help me in the campaign!

"Of course, being the son of such a well-known personality has given me a platform but I do not represent my father but my party and its programme. And I am taking nothing for granted. I have been meeting people on home visits for over a year now. One does not get elected automatically because he is the President's son," Dr Fenech Adami said.

Dr de Marco said that the fact that one's father was a former President and a long-serving MP certainly helped a new candidate introduce himself.

"People continue to have a lot of respect for my father and that says a lot for him. The fact that they know who I am makes them feel comfortable with me and works to my advantage but, ultimately, when people come to cast their vote they presumably need to be satisfied that they are voting for a person they can trust to represent them in Parliament efficiently, honestly and effectively. Having a father who is well-known helps but, in the end, people will vote for you, for what you are, rather than for who you are. People will judge you by your actions, especially once you are elected."

And, he admitted, people did tend to have immediate higher expectations from newly-elected candidates whose fathers have held senior posts.

Dr de Marco said that his father, when President, kept away from his political functions. Prof. de Marco, however, had a wealth of experience, which Dr de Marco admitted he would be foolish not to take advantage of.

"Indeed, he is my mentor and advisor par excellence. I often consult him and share my thoughts and concerns. I always learn from him, especially with regard to his approach and his reaction to people."

Dr Mifsud Bonnici said being the son of a President affected a candidate positively and negatively.

"A good opinion of one's father tends to rub off on you but you still have to prove yourself. People will not throw away their vote and you have to prove yourself. You have to prove you have the same qualities as your father. It helps that people already know your name or, rather, your surname. But there are disadvantages. I have just had a dressing down from a man who felt my father should have done something which he didn't. It's amazing what people can come up with regarding my father and that also rubs off on me," Dr Mifsud Bonnici said with his usual good humour.

Still, he said, by and large the people of Cottonera respected the Mifsud Bonnicis even when they did not vote for them.

Dr Buttigieg, a former Labour MP, had the rare honour of having served in Parliament for two terms while his father was also an MP (and minister) in the 1971 and 1976 legislatures. Both were elected from the same district.

Dr Buttigieg said his father never helped him when he was President. "I always made it on my own steam; he never even phoned anyone and he remained impartial. That was how I wanted it. He had done enough in the political arena and, once he was out of it, that was enough," Dr Buttigieg said. Still, he added, constituents, especially the older ones, fondly remembered his father's work.

"I do benefit from his goodwill and will continue to build on it," Dr Buttigieg admitted.

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