Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca hugs a well-wisher as she leaves Parliament yesterday. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

The two sides of Parliament came together in a rare show of unity last night to confirm Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca as the next President of Malta, while both paid glowing tributes to outgoing President George Abela.

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat called the nomination historic and Opposition leader Simon Busuttil said the PN wanted to set an example of national unity by getting behind a President who would be for everyone – “tagħna lkoll”.

In her last speech as Social Solidarity Minister, Ms Coleiro Preca struck a similar tone, saying she wanted to be a “catalyst for national unity”.

She hoped that as minister she had laid the foundations for success.

A big part of her speech was dedicated to vulnerable children – and this was the moment she became most emotional, as she heads into a presidency with a “social agenda”.