Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca announced as Malta’s ninth President. She is the 9th President following George Abela who served Malta for the past five years. Coleiro-Preca is the second female President after Agatha Barbara had been appointed in 1982. The office of the President of Malta began when Malta became a republic within the Commonwealth on 13th December 1973, where Sir Anthony Mamo was appointed as the first president. A new president is appointed every 5 years, taking an oath in which he is sworn in to “protect, serve and defend” the Parliament and also appoints judiciary.