Who is Myriam Spiteri Debono, the former Speaker set to become the next President?

Myriam Spiteri Debono, a notary and former parliamentary speaker, is set to become the 11th President of Malta on 4 April. 

Appointing the next president appeared an impossible task until a couple of weeks ago, as the appointment required a two-thirds majority in parliament instead of a simple majority, as in previous years. 

But the Prime Minister and Opposition leader found a unifying candidate in Spiteri Debono, with both sides of Parliament gushing praise when approving her nomination on Wednesday. 

But who is Myriam Spiteri Debono, the former Speaker whose nomination managed to break a deadlock that could have left Malta without a president. 

READ ALSO: Myriam Spiteri Debono unanimously approved as Malta’s President

A Labour stalwart 

Spiteri Debono, born in Rabat (Gozo) on 25 October 1952, studied English Literature and Linguistics at the Royal University of Malta, graduating in 1973. She later studied to become a notary public in 1980. 

Apart from her notarial duties, Spiteri Debono’s career included teaching in government secondary schools and holding administrative roles in the tax department.  

During her university years, Spiteri Debono was among the founding members of the Labour Student Group, and from 1980, was actively involved in the Balzan MLP committee.

Her political engagement deepened in 1982 when she was elected to the party’s national executive. Serving as the MLP propaganda secretary and general secretary of the MLP women’s group from 1983 to 1984, she later assumed the presidency of the women’s group in 1995. She also chaired the co-operatives board between 1982 and 1985.

Myriam Spiteri Debono

Despite unsuccessful attempts in the general elections between 1981 and 1996, after the Labour Party’s victory in October 1996 under Alfred Sant, she became the first woman speaker of the House of Representatives on 5 December.

As Speaker of the House, she oversaw the turbulent Labour administration that ended prematurely in 1998. She navigated this period in a diligent way despite having to deal with the parliamentary antics of Dom Mintoff, a political giant, and pressure from Labour supporters who were hurt and angry with the friction that developed between Sant and Mintoff.

In 2021, Spiteri Debono addressed a Victory Day commemoration and paid tribute to Daphne Caruana Galizia – an uncommon thing to do during a State remembrance ceremony. 

Spiteri Debono called for a newfound respect for investigative journalism as the fourth pillar of democracy. “Daphne Caruana Galizia’s killing was different, it was brutal and macabre… with the determined intention of shutting her up, an execution connected to her investigative work as a journalist.”

Spiteri Debono had said the death of Caruana Galizia switched on the nation’s “warning lights”. 

“It was a death that shocked us. It is difficult, indeed impossible, to heal the wound suffered by her family, the sorrow of those she loved and who loved her. We need to redeem ourselves as a nation. We need to unite, as we did in the past, for the necessary changes of our time, changes we have already started to do,” Spiteri Debono had said. 

Her speech was not disseminated by the Department of Information. 

In Robert Abela and Bernard Grech’s words 

Speaking about Myriam Spiteri Debono, Prime Minister Robert Abela said she has all the qualities of being a successful president. 

“She showed her credentials in seeking national unity – an important characteristic for President – when she was Speaker of the House. […] She also has excellent knowledge of the Constitution,” Abela said. 

He also said Spiteri Debono never feared progress. “She has always been the one who sought change and progress. She was always open to new ideas.” 

The Opposition leader made reference to her Victory Day speech. “I was present that day, and I remember saying to myself that she has the qualities to serve in one of the country’s highest roles,” Grech said. “She also loves by helping, by listening and by doing.” 

The Opposition leader also quashed rumours that he and Abela had been bickering over the choice of new President, saying Abela acted cordially during meetings held.

Clarification: An earlier version of this report suggested that Myriam Spiteri Debono's Victory Day speech in 2021 was not disseminated by the Office of the Speaker and implied that the event was organised by the House of Representatives. This is incorrect since the Office of the Speaker does not organise such official events. Additionally, a spokesperson for the Speaker said the office did not in any way interfere to stop the publication of Spiteri Debono's speech.