National unity to prioritise Coleiro Preca’s presidency

Nominated president Marie Louise Coleiro Preca had initially turned down her nomination, but after Prime Minister Joseph Muscat decided to open up the remit of the president's role, the social solidarity minister accepted the nomination. 

On March 4, Prime Minister officialised by Coleiro Preca's nomination and described her appointment as "historic" and "one step closer to the birth of the second republic," - just days after MaltaToday had revealed that Coleiro Preca accepted her nomination.

Muscat had said that Coleiro Preca would be  given new social responsibilities and give the presidency a "new purpose". 

Speaking in two separate interviews with the Sunday Times of Malta and It-Torca, Coleiro Preca said she reconsidered her decision after Muscat said that the president would be the government's "point of reference".

"Prior to accepting the nomination, I had turned it down but rest assured that I was not coerced into accepting it. It was only after the prime minister decided to open up the remit of the role that I started to reconsider," Coleiro Preca said.

Coleiro Preca - Labour's main sponsor in its fight to eradicate poverty - will also be at the forefront of the country's strategy to alleviate poverty and social exclusion.

Marie Louise Coleiro Preca will now replace incumbent president George Abela, whose appointment in 2009 was seen as a move that inspired "national unity".

"National unity," Coleiro Preca said, "would be the priority of my presidency. Malta must strengthen its solidarity."

Many of her political canvassers have expressed dismay at the decision while some took umbrage of the decision, accusing Joseph Muscat of "booting" up his most conservative minister upstairs.

However, Coleiro Preca has objected to being branded conservative, and explained that she was against divorce, solely because of the "children's' interests."

After emerging as the most liked minister in surveys, Coleiro Preca's nomination was also seen as a promotion for the Qormi minister, but she has rebutted the claims and insisted that Malta needs to look forward. 

She will be the second female president and the sixth nominee emerging from the Labour Party since Malta became a Republic in 1974.

Coleiro Preca has also insisted that she will continue to be the voice of the people, and to highlight the needs of the underprivileged and the marginalised.