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Lawrence Gonzi

KUOM

Gonzi in 2011

12th Prime Minister of Malta

In office
23 March 2004 – 11 March 2013

President

Guido de Marco
Edward Fenech Adami
George Abela

Deputy

Tonio Borg (2008-2012)

Preceded by

Edward Fenech Adami

Succeeded by

Joseph Muscat

Leader of the Opposition

In office
6 April 2013 – 18 May 2013

President

George Abela

Prime Minister

Joseph Muscat

Preceded by

Joseph Muscat

Succeeded by

Simon Busuttil

Leader of the Nationalist Party

In office
3 March 2004 – 8 May 2013

Preceded by

Edward Fenech Adami

Succeeded by

Simon Busuttil

Ministerial offices 1998‍–‍2004

Deputy Prime Minister of Malta
In office 29 March 1999 – 23 March 2004
Prime Minister	Edward Fenech Adami
Preceded by	Guido de Marco
Succeeded by	Tonio Borg (2008)
Minister for Social Policy
In office 6 September 1998 – 23 March 2004
Prime Minister	Edward Fenech Adami
Preceded by	Edwin Grech
Succeeded by	Dolores Cristina

Speaker of the House of Representatives

In office
10 October 1988 – 5 December 1996

Preceded by

Jimmy Farrugia [de]

Succeeded by

Myriam Spiteri Debono

Personal details

Born

1 July 1953 (age 72)
Valletta, British Malta

Political party

Nationalist

Spouse

Catherine Gonzi née Callus

Children

Signature

Lawrence Gonzi (born 1 July 1953) is a Maltese politician and lawyer. He served in many important roles in Malta's government for 25 years. Gonzi was the Prime Minister of Malta from 2004 to 2013. He also led the Nationalist Party.

Before becoming Prime Minister, he was the Speaker of the House from 1988 to 1996. He also served as Minister of Social Policy and Deputy Prime Minister. As Prime Minister, Lawrence Gonzi guided Malta through its first years as a member of the EU. He helped Malta adopt the euro currency and join the Schengen Agreement.

Gonzi focused on making Malta's economy stronger and improving public services. He also played a key role in international events, like helping during the Libyan Revolution. He is known for his commitment to sustainable development and protecting the environment.

Early Life and Family
Political Journey
Honours
- National Honours
- Foreign Honours
See also

Early Life and Family

Lawrence Gonzi was born in Valletta, Malta, on 1 July 1953. His parents were Luigi and Ines Gonzi. He is the grandnephew of Mikiel Gonzi, who was the Archbishop of Malta.

He went to the Archbishop's Seminary for his early education. Later, he studied law at the University of Malta and became a lawyer in 1975. After working in a private law firm, he became a company lawyer.

Gonzi is very active in helping others. He has worked a lot with groups that support people with disability and mental health issues. He was also the first chairman of the national commission for persons with disability (KNPD). He is married to Catherine "Kate" Gonzi, and they have three children.

Political Journey

Lawrence Gonzi meeting with Greek prime minister, George Papandreou.

Speaker of Parliament

Lawrence Gonzi became involved in politics in the 1980s. After trying to get elected in 1987, he was chosen as the Speaker of the House of Representatives on 10 October 1988. The Speaker is like a referee in Parliament, making sure debates are fair and orderly.

During his time as Speaker, Gonzi made many improvements to how Parliament worked. He set up permanent committees and introduced new rules for debates. He was known for being calm and firm, which helped during difficult discussions.

Member of Parliament and Minister

In October 1996, Gonzi was elected as a Member of Parliament. He then became the Whip for the Opposition, helping to organize his party's members. He also served as the Shadow Minister for Social Policy.

When the Nationalist Party won the election in 1998, Gonzi became the Minister for Social Policy. He was also the Leader of the House of Representatives. From 1999 to 2004, he served as the Deputy Prime Minister.

As Minister for Social Policy, he worked on many important changes for Malta's economy and society. He helped create a new law for employment and industrial relations in 2002. He also helped set up the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development. This council allows different groups to discuss and suggest ideas for social and economic issues. These changes helped Malta prepare to join the European Union.

Becoming Prime Minister

Lawrence Gonzi with Nicolas Sarkozy, at an EPP summit in December 2006.

In March 2004, after Eddie Fenech Adami stepped down, Lawrence Gonzi was chosen as the new leader of the Nationalist Party. He became the Prime Minister of Malta on 23 March 2004. He also took on the role of Minister of Finance.

Malta joined the European Union on 1 May 2004. As Prime Minister, Gonzi attended the official ceremony in Dublin, Ireland. The Maltese flag was raised there for the first time with other EU member states.

As Finance Minister, Gonzi worked hard to meet the requirements for Malta to join the Eurozone. Malta successfully adopted the euro currency on 1 January 2008. He also focused on improving how public money was managed. He worked to make Malta more competitive in the global market. Gonzi encouraged new industries like information technology, biotechnology, and pharmaceuticals to come to Malta. His efforts helped Malta get €2.4 billion in EU funds from 2007 onwards.

His government's first goal was to move the country forward. They reformed different parts of the economy, including Air Malta and the Malta shipyards. These changes were important for Malta's growth after joining the EU. Gonzi also pushed for changes to the pension system to make sure it would last into the future.

Re-election and Challenges

Lawrence Gonzi posing with US President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama during a reception in New York City.

Lawrence Gonzi was re-elected Prime Minister on 8 March 2008, in a very close election. His party won by a small number of votes, giving them a one-seat majority in Parliament. This small majority later caused some challenges for his government.

In his second term, Gonzi focused on sustainable development and the environment. He also dealt with the effects of the 2008 financial crisis on Malta. His government started projects like SmartCity Malta and a new architectural project in Valletta. They provided financial help to local businesses to keep people employed. His economic policies were praised by European leaders.

Under his leadership, Malta's economy became more modern. It became an attractive place for foreign companies to invest in areas like financial services and technology.

Libya Policy

Lawrence Gonzi meeting with the Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom, William Hague, in London on May 10, 2011.

The Libyan crisis was a big challenge for Gonzi's government. He spoke out against the actions of the Gaddafi government early in the conflict. Malta became a safe place for people to be evacuated from Libya.

Gonzi's government provided help and medical aid to Libya. They also gave asylum to two Libyan pilots who refused to bomb protesters. Gonzi did not return the pilots' jets to the Gaddafi government. He allowed NATO planes to land in Malta when needed for the UN-approved no-fly zone. Malta's support for the Libyan revolution was appreciated by Libya's new leaders.

End of Term and Retirement

The small majority of Gonzi's second government led to some internal disagreements. In December 2012, his government lost a budget vote in Parliament. This meant the government could no longer continue. An election was held in March 2013, which the Labour Party won.

Gonzi accepted the defeat and resigned as leader of the Nationalist Party. He took "total and complete responsibility" for the election loss. He later admitted that his government might have made mistakes in its attitude.

Lawrence Gonzi became the Leader of the Opposition briefly in March 2013. He resigned from this role in May 2013 and from Parliament in July 2013. He said that someone with more energy should take his place. Since then, Gonzi has retired from active politics. He has given lectures at universities and attended conferences. He also led an observer group for the 2013 Maldivian presidential election.