As he presided over what is likely to have been his final Sette Giugno address as Speaker of the House of Representatives, Anglu Farrugia chose not to dwell on personal achievements or institutional milestones. Instead, he delivered a challenge - one directed squarely at the incoming legislature and the men and women who will occupy Parliament for the next five years.
It was a fitting conclusion to a tenure that has spanned a record 13 years in the Speaker's chair. Reports indicate that Farrugia is set to be replaced by Carmelo Abela in the coming days, bringing to an end a chapter that saw him oversee some of the most turbulent, polarised and transformative periods in Malta's recent political history.
His final major national address was not a farewell speech. It was a warning.
The Speaker's message was simple: Malta's democratic institutions can only command public respect if those elected to serve within them demonstrate the seriousness, commitment and discipline that such institutions deserve.
The timing of the address is significant. A new legislature has just begun. Newly elected MPs arrive in Parliament with fresh mandates, renewed enthusiasm and promises of change. The early months of a legislature often bring a sense of purpose and determination. The real test, however, is not what happens during the opening months. It is what happens during the years that follow.
Too often, parliamentary commitment ebbs and flows according to the electoral calendar. Interest in legislative work intensifies as elections approach and public scrutiny increases. Constituency concerns become more visible. Parliamentary activity becomes more energetic.
That is precisely the culture Farrugia was warning against.
His criticism of unjustified absenteeism was particularly noteworthy. Parliament cannot function effectively if elected representatives treat attendance as optional. Nor can it fulfil its constitutional role if MPs view parliamentary sittings as secondary to other professional or political commitments.
Being elected to Parliament is not a part-time honour. It is a public responsibility.
Farrugia's call for stronger committee work, more rigorous scrutiny and deeper public consultation reflects a broader truth about modern democracies. Effective parliamentary work is often carried out away from the television cameras and outside the confrontational exchanges that dominate headlines. It takes place in committees, through detailed examination of legislation, through research, consultation and accountability.
That work requires persistence and preparation. Above all, it requires MPs who are willing to invest the same energy in the fourth and fifth years of a legislature as they do in the first.
The Speaker was also correct to stress that public trust cannot be demanded. It must be earned. At a time when confidence in political institutions is being tested across many democracies, Parliament cannot afford to become associated with theatrics, partisan point-scoring or behaviour that diminishes the dignity of the institution.
Respect for Parliament begins with respect for the office that MPs themselves hold.
This new legislature faces significant challenges, from governance reforms and economic competitiveness to environmental pressures and social cohesion. Meeting those challenges will require legislators who understand that their role extends beyond constituency work and beyond electoral calculations.
As Anglu Farrugia prepares to leave the Speaker's chair, his final appeal deserves to be remembered long after the ceremonial speeches and commemorations have ended.
The true measure of this new Parliament will not be the enthusiasm displayed during its opening weeks. It will be whether the commitment, seriousness and sense of duty promised today remain visible five years from now.
That is the standard Malta should expect from its elected representatives. It is also the standard they should demand of themselves.