The open arms with which the nomination of George Abela as the next President of the Republic has been widely accepted is a clear indication that the Prime Minister’s decision could not have been better.

Of course, there are Nationalist diehards who believe that the President should have been someone with strong links to the party, while some Labour ardent supporters insist that it is just a government tactic to keep Labour quiet.

Reports that the Labour parliamentary group was not unanimous in its support for the nomination expose a split within the party which Dr Abela himself tried to lead last June, losing the race to Joseph Muscat, and formed part of as deputy leader for more than five years.

This leads to questions as to whether Dr Abela will have the full endorsement of the House of Representatives when the time comes to vote for his appointment. However, it is likely that most MPs will be expressing their support in what should be one of the strongest “yes” votes taken by the Maltese Parliament.

On the whole, the country breathed in relief as Dr Abela’s nomination was officially announced last Monday.

It did so for several reasons. For one thing, the breakaway from the tradition of appointing a President from the same side as that of the government is a move that shows the way forward.

For many years, the country has been torn apart in disputes that have often led to a serious confrontation. Dr Abela’s nomination comes at a time when the country needs to be more united than it ever was.

We will still have our differences of opinion, and this is healthy in a democracy. But at the same time we need to work harder to achieve a greater harmony in all that we decide to do.

The way Dr Lawrence Gonzi’s idea to nominate Dr Abela was received is also completely different from the public reaction there had been five years ago when Dr Eddie Fenech Adami, soon after he was replaced by Dr Gonzi as Prime Minister and Nationalist Party leader, was appointed President. That time, even hardened Nationalists had thought it was the wrong move.

Also, the fact that Dr Gonzi chose to publicly announce the nomination so early – there are still nearly 12 weeks to go until the end of Dr Fenech Adami’s term – has ended speculation which had started gripping the media even before the Christmas season.

There were several names that were being mentioned – some came from the Nationalist camp, others from Labour, while others were people who have never been involved in politics. The nomination has now brought all this speculation to an end, calmed things down and will allow for a much smoother transition between Dr Fenech Adami and Dr Abela.

As Dr Abela himself told journalists at the foot of the Castille steps soon after his meeting with Dr Gonzi on Monday, the post of President is occupied by Dr Fenech Adami until 4 April, and so every effort must be made to respect that position.

What is sure is that there has never been as much consensus on the appointment of the President as much as there has been with Dr Abela’s nomination. It has always been said that the President should, as much as possible, be a symbol of unity in the country.

Judging by the fact that Dr Abela’s nomination has been proposed by the government, endorsed by the opposition and widely accepted by the public at large is a sign of political maturity that the country so badly needs to show.