George in, Eddie out

Each President brings with him a particular baggage that shapes the Presidency. Kurt Sansone sums up what will go in and out of San Anton Palace.

Even if the Presidential changing of the guard today will follow the traditional ceremonial requisites, which never change, it will be ushering in a new era for the Presidency and the country.

The biggest signal of change is possibly the widespread consensus that George Abela's nomination obtained across the political divide. The last President to have enjoyed such broad backing was Sir Anthony Mamo.

Indeed, Eddie Fenech Adami was voted in as President in a sea of controversy. He even had to contend with opposition to his nomination from Nationalist supporters, including some of the more ardent ones, apart from harsh criticism from the Labour Party.

Dr Fenech Adami had publicly acknowledged the sour feeling his ascendency to the Presidency had left with many people even if it mellowed by the end of his term. The harsh criticism may have conditioned his modus operandi, so much so that he tried to keep a low public profile. He once described the Presidency as an "observatory".

All that may be history now as the nation's highest office prepares to host its new President.

Dr Abela does not start his reign with a handicap. The consensus surrounding his nomination is in itself the start of a new era.

However, beyond the historical significance of enjoying broad approval, Dr Abela does bring along other changes to the Presidency.

Even if considered to be a moderate, his Social Democratic values will provide ample room for difference with the more conservative Christian Democratic beliefs of his predecessor.

It will be an interesting experiment in cohabitation between Lawrence Gonzi's conservative government and a Presidency occupied by a Left-leaning individual.

Whether Dr Abela will influence public policy will remain to be seen even if his vow of silence will make it difficult to determine.

The Prime Minister this week described Dr Fenech Adami's Presidency as having a "European dimension". It could not have been otherwise. According to Dr Gonzi, the Fenech Adami Presidency contributed to the strengthening of Malta's stature "in Europe and the Mediterranean".

The European dimension may be less pronounced in Dr Abela's Presidency but in his own words his yearning to create a "sense of state" may very well be the new President's mission.

There are other differences that might have little bearing on the form and substance of the Presidency but which point towards a generational change.

While Dr Fenech Adami lived his childhood years during World War II, Dr Abela is the product of the post-war baby boom.

Both profess their love for their family but, in keeping with the tradition of those in his generation, Dr Fenech Adami had five children while Dr Abela had two, much in line with the post-war generation's belief in smaller nuclear families.

The seasoned career politician will be replaced by a seasoned employment and industrial relations lawyer. However, sports is possibly the one thing that easily crosses people's minds when talking of Dr Abela.

In this respect he will definitely bring a culture change and it will need to be seen whether next year he will be running once again in the Malta marathon.

As San Anton Palace awaits its new first couple that will also be a change in itself. While Dr Fenech Adami and his wife sparingly lived at the palace in Attard, Dr Abela has made it a point to transfer his family there.

He intends to turn the palace into a showcase of Malta's hospitality and in so doing he will once again breathe new life into the job prospects of the staff at San Anton.

Factbox: What's changing

In
Social Democracy
Consensus
Post-war generation
Small family
Sense of state
Sportsman

Out
Christian Democracy
Disagreement
War generation
Big family
Europe
Politician

ksansone@timesofmalta.com