Hats off to President George Abela for holding steadfast to his ‘moral’ convictions in regard to the Civil Unions Bill.

Regrettably perhaps, the same cannot be said of the President-designate, Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca who, although professing to be a staunch Catholic, has already intimated that she will have no problem to sign the Bill, since it was an electoral commitment of the Labour Party in government.

Her reasoning, though it may be plausible, appears to be based purely on her party allegiance, rather than any other matter.

She has, of course, every right to have different ‘moral’ convictions from those of President Abela.

However, just as there is the separation of Church and State, there must also be the separation of the presidency and the executive, irrespective of the political background of the president.