News • November 16 2003

Archbishop resignation begins wind of change for Maltese leaders

Kurt Sansone
Archbishop Joseph Mercieca on Tuesday unknowingly heralded a new era being the first of this country’s leaders to submit his resignation. Within a span of a year Malta could possibly see a generation change among its leaders.
According to Cannon Law the Archbishop had to submit his resignation upon attaining the age of 75.
Guzeppi Mercieca was born on 11 November 1928 and has been at the helm of the church in Malta since 1976. The Pope has not yet appointed a successor although in special circumstances the Archbishop may be asked to stay on until the new archbishop is chosen.
The Bishop of Gozo will follow suit next year when on 2 March Nikol Cauchi reaches the age of 75 and is expected to offer his resignation to the Pope. Bishop Cauchi has headed the Gozo church since 1972.
Another change in this country’s top echelons will occur in April when President Guido de Marco’s term in office comes to an end. Prof. de Marco was appointed President on 4 April 1999 for a four-year term.
It is widely expected that Prof. de Marco will re-enter the political fray by submitting his candidature for the European Parliament elections to be held in June 2004, on behalf of the Nationalist Party. If the former foreign minister does go ahead with his plans to contest the EP elections he would be the first president to have re-entered the political field after serving the country’s highest office.
But the wheel of change will not stop with Prof. de Marco. Prime Minister Eddie Fenech Adami has signalled his intention to step down as Nationalist Party leader before the next election is due.
Although the Prime Minister has been secretive about when he intends to retire it is widely expected that he will do so in the next year or two to give his successor ample time to settle down before the election in 2008.
Dr Fenech Adami has been at the helm of the Nationalist Party since 1977 and is the longest serving leader of a political party in Europe. This year he steered the Nationalist Party to victory at the polls thus claiming his fourth term as Prime Minister in 16 years.
However, the wind of change will not make a clean sweep. Opposition leader Alfred Sant was re-confirmed as Labour Party leader after the April election despite losing two consecutive elections and a referendum. There have been suggestions from various quarters that Sant is no longer electable, however, he has shown no sign of wanting to give up his place as party leader and in five year’s time he will probably lead the MLP to the polls.
kurt@maltamag.com