President Edward Fenech Adami turns 73 today.

He was appointed President of the Republic on 4 April 2004.

Dr Fenech Adami joined the Christian Democratic Nationalist Party (PN) in the early 1960s, establishing a reputation as a reserved but determined and capable constituency official. He entered parliament in 1969 and in 1977, less than 10 years later, after having served in a number of senior party posts, including president of the administrative and general councils, he was elected party leader, succeeding Dr Giorgio Borg-Olivier.

Since 1969, he was returned to parliament at every general election and as leader of his party won five popular elections, 1981, 1987, 1992, 1998 and 2003. In 1981, although the Nationalist Party obtained an absolute majority of votes, it did not win a majority of seats in Parliament, and therefore remained in opposition. Constitutional changes were then made to guarantee that the party winning an absolute majority of votes would have a parliamentary majority, as happened in 1987.

Between 1987 and 1996, President Fenech Adami, as prime minister, ushered in a major period of change for Malta. The country’s physical infrastructure was completely overhauled as were the legal and business structures. Trade was liberalised, while telecommunications, banking and financial services were deregulated and/or privatised. Malta also began a period of integration with the European Union when its application was presented on 16 July 1990.

Between 1996 and 1998 Dr Fenech Adami served as opposition leader until his party was re-elected in September 1998 and served a further five years as prime minister and leader of his party. Malta’s EU application was reactivated and by December 2002 negotiations were fully concluded.

In April 2003 Dr Edward Fenech Adami was again confirmed as prime minister, following yet another electoral victory.

A few days later, on 16 April, 2003, Dr Fenech Adami signed Malta’s Accession Treaty with the European Union, together with nine other heads of government of countries set to become EU members on 1 May 2004.

As prime minister Dr Edward Fenech Adami, attended various EU summits and also represented Malta at various Commonwealth meetings. As leader of his party he attended various summits of the European Peoples Party.

For his outstanding achievements and commitment at leading Malta within the EU, last December 2003, he was presented with the European of the Year award in Brussels.

On 7 February 2004, Dr Fenech Adami decided to tender his resignation as Nationalist Party leader, upon reaching his 70th birthday and was succeeded by Dr Lawrence Gonzi. On 23 March 2004, Dr Edward Fenech Adami relinquished his premiership as well as his parliamentary seat.

Edward Fenech Adami was born in 1934, the son of a customs officer. He was educated at the St Aloysius’ College and at the University of Malta, where he first studied economics and the classics and later law. He was called to the bar in 1959.

Dr Edward Fenech Adami is married to Mary nee Sciberras and they have five children: John, Beppe, Michael, Maria and Luigi.