# Lawrence Gonzi Becomes Prime Minister (23 March 2004)

URL: https://allhistories.com/malta/timeline/2004-lawrence-gonzi-becomes-prime-minister
Location: Valletta, Malta
Themes: Rulers & Successions

Having achieved his goal of taking Malta into the European Union, Eddie Fenech Adami announced his retirement as leader of the Nationalist Party after more than 26 years. Lawrence Gonzi, a lawyer who had been Speaker of the House and then Minister for Social Policy and Deputy Prime Minister, was elected party leader in early 2004. Gonzi was sworn in as Prime Minister on 23 March 2004, a few weeks before accession, while Parliament elected Fenech Adami as President of Malta in April 2004. Gonzi's government oversaw the first years of EU membership, the adoption of the euro, entry into Schengen, a pension reform and efforts to reduce the budget deficit, as well as the response to irregular migration across the central Mediterranean. Gonzi narrowly won the 2008 general election but governed with a one-seat majority that was later eroded by rebellion within his parliamentary group. The government fell after losing a budget vote in December 2012, and Labour won a landslide in March 2013. Gonzi was praised for steering Malta through the 2008 financial crisis with limited damage, but his period also saw growing demands for social liberalisation.

## Why it matters
Gonzi led Malta through its first decade in the EU, including euro adoption and the global financial crisis.

Ruler at the Time: [Guido de Marco](https://allhistories.com/malta/rulers/guido-de-marco)

Prime Minister of Malta: Lawrence Gonzi (Nationalist Party)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia — Lawrence Gonzi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawrence_Gonzi)
- [Government of Malta](https://www.gov.mt/)
- [Wikipedia — Modern Malta (period overview)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malta)