In this (un)democratic country, it is no surprise that the Prime Minister should attempt to circumvent the Constitution and dictate what the duties of the president-designate should be. Of course, there is no harm in redefining the role of the president, provided there is parliamentary consensus.

Unfortunately, the Prime Minister is reported to have wilfully vitiated the issue by ‘dangling the carrot’ to the president-designate, promising she would be carrying on with her ministerial hobbies upon assuming the presidency. This evidently enticed the reluctant president-designate to accept the post, thereby truncating her promising political career.

One can rightfully ask the following: “What is the real reason motivating the Prime Minister to take this decision?”

While there is no doubt that the president-designate will endeavour to be the president of all Maltese, the Prime Minister has unwittingly cast a shadow on the presidency, as if the president is for the government and not the people.

The cherry on the cake has been provided by Labour’s executive secretary, Lydia Abela, who has been reported to have solemnly proclaimed that Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca should be the role model for all Maltese women. Now let’s take it easy: without wishing to take any skeletons out of the cupboard, we do not wish to create another Mother Teresa, do we?