Eddie Fenech Adami
| Edward Fenech Adami KUOM, BA, LLD |
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| 7th President of Malta | |
| In office 4 April 2004 – 4 April 2009 |
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| Prime Minister | Lawrence Gonzi |
| Preceded by | Guido de Marco |
| Succeeded by | George Abela |
| Prime Minister of Malta | |
| In office 6 September 1998 – 23 March 2004 |
|
| President | Ugo Mifsud Bonnici Guido de Marco |
| Preceded by | Alfred Sant |
| Succeeded by | Lawrence Gonzi |
| In office 12 May 1987 – 28 October 1996 |
|
| President | Paul Xuereb Ċensu Tabone Ugo Mifsud Bonnici |
| Preceded by | Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici |
| Succeeded by | Alfred Sant |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 7 February 1934 Birkirkara, Malta |
| Political party | Nationalist Party |
| Spouse(s) | Mary Fenech Adami |
| Religion | Roman Catholicism |
Edward “Eddie” Fenech Adami (born 7 February 1934) is a Maltese politician who was 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.
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[edit] Education and professional career
Born in Birkirkara, Fenech Adami was educated at St Aloysius' College in Birkirkara and at the University of Malta, where he first studied economics and then classics and later law.
He was called to the bar in 1959.
[edit] Political career
[edit] Secretary General and MP
Fenech Adami joined the Nationalist Party becoming its Secretary General and editor of its paper Il-Poplu (Maltese: The People). He became an MP in 1969 through a casual election.
[edit] Leader of the Nationalist Party
Fenech Adami was elected leader designate in 1977 and took the lead of the Party from Giorgio Borg Olivier in 1978. In 1979 his family and family home were targeted by a mob in a series of violent incidents which came to be known as "Black Monday".
He served as Leader of the Opposition until his party was voted in office in 1987.
Between 1987 and 1996, Fenech Adami ushered a major period of change for Malta. The country's physical infrastructure was completely overhauled as were the legal and business structures. Trade was liberalized, whilst telecommunications, banking and financial services were deregulated or privatised. Malta also applied to join the European Economic Community on 16 July 1990.[1] Dr Fenech Adami was reconfirmed Prime Minister in the February 1992 elections.
Between 1996 and 1998 Fenech Adami served as Leader of the Opposition until his Party was returned to office in September 1998. Malta's European Union application, which was put on hold by the previous Labour government, was reactivated and negotiations concluded by December 2002. This was confirmed by a referendum in March 2003 and general election held in April 2003 which confirmed the Partit Nazzjonalista in government and Fenech Adami as Prime Minister.[1] Fenech Adami resigned from Prime Minister on 23 March 2004, thus becoming the longest serving Prime Minister since Independence in 1964.
On 16 April 2003, Dr. Fenech Adami signed Malta's Accession Treaty with the European Union. In December 2003, Dr. Fenech Adami received the European of the Year 2003 Award from the influential Brussels-based newspaper European Voice in recognition of his unfaltering efforts to bring Malta into the European Union.[2]
[edit] President of Malta
Following his resignation as Prime Minister, Adami became President of Malta on 4 April 2004. He served a five-year term, leaving office on 4 April 2009, when he was succeeded by George Abela.
[edit] Personal life
He was married to Mary Fenech Adami (who passed away in 2011) and they had five children: John, Beppe, Michael, Maria and Luigi.[1]
[edit] Other
Eddie Fenech Adami is an Honorary Member of the International Raoul Wallenberg Foundation.[3]
[edit] Honours and awards
- National Order of Merit (Malta – 1990)
- Knight Grand Cross with Grand Cordon of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic – 11 May 2005
- Knight Grand Cross of the Grand Order of King Tomislav – "For outstanding contribution to the promotion of friendship and development co-operation between the Republic of Croatia and the Republic of Malta." (2 November 2006)
- Order of the White Eagle (2009)
- Commandeur de la Légion d'Honneur [1] - France (2010)
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d . "Official Website of the President of Malta". Government of Malta. 2006. http://www.president.gov.mt. Retrieved 2006-08-20.
- ^ "Foreword to EU Studies Guide 2004 Eddie Fenech Adami, Maltese Prime Minister – EU Studies Guide". European Voice. 2004. Archived from the original on 2006-11-18. http://web.archive.org/web/20061118180451/http://www.europeanvoice.com/eu/info.asp?id=1040. Retrieved 2006-08-20.
- ^ http://www.raoulwallenberg.net/en/about/members/honorary-members/
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici |
Prime Minister of Malta 1987–1996 |
Succeeded by Alfred Sant |
| Preceded by Alfred Sant |
Prime Minister of Malta 1998–2004 |
Succeeded by Lawrence Gonzi |
| Preceded by Guido de Marco |
President of Malta 2004–2009 |
Succeeded by George Abela |
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by Giorgio Borg Olivier |
Leader of the Nationalist Party of Malta 1977–2004 |
Succeeded by Lawrence Gonzi |
| Preceded by Censu Tabone |
President of the Nationalist Party of Malta 1975–1977 |
Succeeded by Ugo Mifsud Bonnici |
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- 1934 births
- Living people
- Presidents of Malta
- Prime Ministers of Malta
- Members of the House of Representatives of Malta
- Alumni of the University of Malta
- Maltese Roman Catholics
- Recipients of the Star of Romania Order
- Recipients of the Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana, 1st Class
- Knights Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic
- Grand Order of King Tomislav recipients
- Recipients of the Order of the White Eagle (Poland)
- Nationalist Party (Malta) politicians
