George Vella

Last updated

Miriam Grima
​
(m. 1985)​
His Excellency
George Vella
KUOM
Episkepse UPEKs N. Dendia ste Malta - Sunantese me Proedro Maltas George Vella (10.10.2022) (cropped).jpg
Vella in 2022
10th President of Malta
In office
4 April 2019 –4 April 2024
Preceded by Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca
Succeeded by Myriam Spiteri Debono
Children3
Alma mater University of Malta

George William Vella KUOM (born 24 April 1942) is a Maltese politician who served as the 10th president of Malta from 2019 to 2024. [1] A member of the Labour Party, he previously served as deputy prime minister of Malta and foreign affairs minister from 1996 to 1998 under prime minister Alfred Sant. In 2013, he returned as foreign affairs minister, an office he held until 2017 under prime minister Joseph Muscat. [2] [3]

Contents

Early life and family

Vella was born in Żejtun on 24 April 1942, where he finished his primary education. [4] Vella graduated from the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery in the Royal University of Malta in 1964 and became a qualified medical doctor. [4] [5] He obtained a certificate in Aviation Medicine from Farnborough, UK and he has been a specialist in family medicine since 2003. [5] Between 1964 and 1966, Vella worked as a houseman in St. Luke's Hospital and soon after he applied and worked between 1966 and 1973 as a medical officer for Malta's drydocks. [4] After that, he served as the medical officer to Air Malta and as a consultant in Aviation Medicine. [4]

He is married to Miriam [6] and they together have two daughters and a son, along with seven grandchildren. [2] [3] [6]

Career

Labour Party

Vella joined the Labour Party and started his parliamentary career in 1976. [4] He was then elected member of parliament in January 1978, and during the 1981, 1992, 1996, 1998, 2003, 2008 and 2013 general elections. [4] As a member of Parliament, he represents the 3rd and 5th Districts. [2] [3]

In 1978, Vella was a substitute member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and rapporteur on maritime pollution from maritime sources at the Conference of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe (CLRAE). [4] From January to May 1987, he served as Malta's permanent representative at the Council of Europe. [2]

In 1992, Vella was elected as the Labour Party deputy leader for parliamentary affairs and spokesperson on foreign affairs and served that role until 2003. [4] He served as vice-chairman on the Joint EU/Malta Parliamentary Committee. [2] [3] From 1995 to 1996, Vella was a member of the House Business Committee and the Foreign Affairs Parliamentary Committee. [2]

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs

The office of Vella while serving as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Malta minister of foreign affairs office.jpg
The office of Vella while serving as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs

He was appointed deputy prime minister and minister for foreign affairs and environment in October 1996 [3] and again in March 2013, serving to June 2017. [2]

Vella has voiced his support for the Campaign for the Establishment of a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly, an organisation which campaigns for democratic reformation of the United Nations, and the creation of a more accountable international political system. [7]

President of Malta

In early 2019, Vella was speculated to become the next president of Malta. [8] Vella was nominated for the position of the president of Malta by the governing Labour Party at the time including the opposition Nationalist Party. [9] [10] The Democratic Party announced their support for Vella's nomination, but would boycott the vote to protest in favour of a constitutional amendment requiring a two-thirds majority to elect the president. [11] The vote in parliament took place on 2 April 2019, with the Members of Parliament voting to approve Vella's appointment as the only nominee. [12] The appointment was followed by Vella's formal swearing-in as president on 4 April 2019, a date on which every previous Maltese President since 1989 was inaugurated. [13] [14]

Honours

National honours

Foreign honours

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Politics of Malta</span> Political system of Malta

The politics of Malta takes place within a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic republic, whereby the president of Malta is the constitutional head of state. Executive authority is vested in the president of Malta, with the general direction and control of the Government of Malta remaining with the prime minister of Malta, who is the head of government and the cabinet. Legislative power is vested in the Parliament of Malta, which consists of the president of Malta and the unicameral House of Representatives of Malta with the speaker as the presiding officer of the legislative body. Judicial power remains with the chief justice and the judiciary of Malta. Since independence, the party electoral system has been dominated by the Christian democratic Nationalist Party and the social democratic Labour Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dom Mintoff</span> Maltese politician (1916–2012)

Dominic Mintoff was a Maltese Socialist politician, architect, and civil engineer who was leader of the Labour Party from 1949 to 1984, and was 8th Prime Minister of Malta from 1955 to 1958, when Malta was still a British colony, and again, following independence, from 1971 to 1984. His tenure as Prime Minister saw the creation of a comprehensive welfare state, nationalisation of large corporations, a substantial increase in the general standard of living and the establishment of the Maltese republic, but was later on marred by a stagnant economy, a rise in authoritarianism and outbreaks of political violence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eddie Fenech Adami</span> Maltese politician

Edoardo "Eddie" Fenech Adami, is a Maltese politician and Nationalist politician who served as the prime minister of Malta from 1987 until 1996, and again from 1998 until 2004. Subsequently, he was the seventh president of Malta from 2004 to 2009. He led his party to win four general elections, in 1987, 1992, 1998 and 2003, as well as the majority of votes in 1981. Staunchly pro-European, Fenech Adami was fundamental for Malta's accession to the European Union.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Labour Party (Malta)</span> Political party in Malta

The Labour Party, formerly known as the Malta Labour Party, is one of the two major political parties in Malta, along with the Nationalist Party. It sits on the centre-left of the political spectrum.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lawrence Gonzi</span> Maltese politician

Lawrence Gonzi, is a Maltese politician, retired Nationalist politician and lawyer, who served for twenty-five years in various critical roles in Maltese politics. Gonzi was Prime Minister of Malta from 2004 to 2013, and leader of the Nationalist Party. He also served as speaker of the House from 1988 to 1996, and Minister of Social Policy from 1998 to 2004, as well as Deputy Prime Minister from 1999 to 2004. He served in practically all positions in Parliament, being also Leader of the House, an MP and Leader of the Opposition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Simon Busuttil</span> Maltese politician

Simon Busuttil is the Secretary General of the EPP Group in the European Parliament. Formerly, he was Leader of the Opposition. and Leader of the Nationalist Party in Malta and a Member of the European Parliament for Malta.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joseph Muscat</span> Former Prime Minister of Malta

Joseph Muscat is a Maltese politician who served as the 13th prime minister of Malta from 2013 to 2020 and leader of the Labour Party from 2008 to 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gabriele Albertini</span> Italian politician

Gabriele Albertini is an Italian politician.

Television Malta is a terrestrial television network in Malta operated by the national broadcaster, Public Broadcasting Services. Alongside TVM, PBS operates TVMNews+ and TVMSport+.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Titus Corlățean</span> Romanian politician and diplomat

Titus Corlățean is a Romanian politician and diplomat, former Minister of Justice and of Foreign Affairs. He is a member of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), part of the Party of European Socialists, and was elected to the Chamber of Deputies for Brașov County in the 2004 elections.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Abela</span> Maltese politician

George Abela, is a Maltese politician who was the eighth president of Malta from April 2009 to April 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aníbal Cavaco Silva</span> Former President and prime minister of Portugal (born 1939)

Aníbal António Cavaco Silva is a Portuguese economist and politician who served as the 19th president of Portugal, from 9 March 2006 to 9 March 2016, and as prime minister of Portugal, from 6 November 1985 to 25 October 1995. His 10-year tenure was the longest of any prime minister since Salazar, and the longest for a freely elected prime minister in Portugal's republican history. He was the first Portuguese prime minister to win an absolute parliamentary majority under the current constitutional system. He is best known for leading Portugal into the European Union.

The Maltese order of precedence is a conventionally set list. It is only used as a guide for protocol.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Karmenu Vella</span> Maltese politician

Karmenu Vella is a Maltese politician and former member of the European Commission, in charge of Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries between 2014 and 2019. He has been one of the longest serving Maltese Parliamentarian with the Maltese Labour Party. He was appointed Companion of the National Order of Merit of Malta in 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Fearne</span> Maltese physician and politician

Christopher Fearne is a Maltese physician and politician. He was appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Health in April 2014 and Minister for Health since April 2016. In July 2017, the Labour Party elected him as Deputy Leader for Parliamentary Affairs, thus assuming the role of Deputy Prime Minister of Malta and Leader of the House.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 Maltese general election</span>

General elections were held in Malta on 26 March 2022 to elect all members of the House of Representatives.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miriam Dalli</span> Vice President of the Socialists & Democrats

Miriam Dalli is a Maltese politician of the Labour Party and former journalist who has been serving as a member of the Parliament of Malta since 2020. She was previously a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) from 2014 until 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2019 Maltese presidential election</span>

The 2019 Maltese presidential election took place on 2 April 2019. Members of the Parliament of Malta voted in an indirect election to approve the appointment of former cabinet minister George Vella, the only nominee, as President of Malta.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Malta–State of Palestine relations</span> Bilateral relations

Malta–Palestine relations are the diplomatic relations between Malta and Palestine. Malta has traditionally held close and friendly relations with the Palestinian people ever since Malta's attainment of Independence on 21 September 1964. The Foreign Policy of Malta has consistently supported international efforts aimed at a peaceful and negotiated resolution to the conflict aimed at establishing a State of Palestine living side by side by the State of Israel in peace and security.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Abela</span> Prime Minister of Malta

Robert Abela is a Maltese lawyer and politician who has served as prime minister of Malta and leader of the Malta Labour Party since 2020. The son of former President George Abela, he was elected to Parliament in 2017. Abela was sworn in as prime minister following the resignation of Joseph Muscat on 13 January 2020.

References

  1. ↑ Scicluna, Luke (2 April 2019). "George Vella approved as Malta's next President". Times of Malta. Retrieved 2 April 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "The Minister". Archived from the original on 6 February 2015. Retrieved 2 March 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Minister of Foreign Affairs - Maltese Consulate". Archived from the original on 19 April 2019. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 "Dr.GEORGE W.VELLA MD., Cert. GAM (UK), KOM., KCMG" (PDF). newsbook.com.mt.
  5. 1 2 "George Vella Biography". www.gov.mt.
  6. 1 2 "Who is Dr George Vella? - TVM News". TVM English. 4 April 2019. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
  7. ↑ "Supporters". Campaign for a UN Parliamentary Assembly. Retrieved 21 September 2017.
  8. ↑ "Who is George Vella? This Maltese politician may be Malta's next President". www.guidememalta.com. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
  9. ↑ Amaira, Ruth (7 March 2019). "PN Parliamentary Group to vote in favor of nomination of George Vella for President". TVM News. Retrieved 28 March 2019.
  10. ↑ "Maltese parliament approves George Vella as president - Xinhua | English.news.cn". www.xinhuanet.com. Archived from the original on 3 April 2019. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
  11. ↑ "PD to boycott parliamentary debate on presidential nomination". Times of Malta. 2 April 2019. Retrieved 2 April 2019.
  12. ↑ "MPs to vote on George Vella for president on April 2". Times of Malta. 13 March 2019. Retrieved 28 March 2019.
  13. ↑ Scicluna, Christopher (4 April 2019). "President Vella delivers unifying address after swearing-in". Times of Malta. Retrieved 5 April 2019.
  14. ↑ "Watch - Updated: George Vella sworn in as Malta's 10th President of the Republic - The Malta Independent". www.independent.com.mt. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
  15. ↑ https://www.quirinale.it/onorificenze/insigniti/1589640/
  16. ↑ "Par apbalvošanu ar Triju Zvaigžņu ordeni - Latvijas Vēstnesis".
Party political offices
Preceded by Deputy Leader of the Labour Party
1992–2003		Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by Deputy Prime Minister of Malta
1996–1998		Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister of Foreign Affairs
1996–1998		Succeeded by
Preceded by
???
 Minister for the Environment
1996–1998		Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister of Foreign Affairs
2013–2017		Succeeded by
Preceded by President of Malta
2019–2024		Succeeded by
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.