President

Whilst Malta has been independent from the British Empire since 1964, it was only in 1974 that the country became a republic and established the office of president as head of state. The House of Representatives (Malta’s parliament) elects the president for a term of five years. There are certain restrictions on who may take the role of president. The president of Malta must be a permanent resident and may not have held the position of judge or chief justice. The president’s role is largely ceremonial, as the prime minister holds executive power. The president acts on the advice of the prime minister when performing functions such as the appointment of the cabinet.