29 Facts About Franco Debono

Franco Debono was born on 9 March 1974 and is a Maltese criminal trial lawyer and former Nationalist member of Parliament.

Franco Debono set up his private practice in Zurrieq a village in the fifth district, his electoral constituency.

From 2008 until 2013 Debono served one term as Member of Parliament for the Nationalist Party.

Franco Debono is the former Commissioner of Laws of Malta, appointed by the Labour-led administration of Joseph Muscat on 24 March 2013.

Franco Debono went to school at St Aloysius' College in Birkirkara.

Franco Debono first ran for office in 1998, contesting the fifth electoral district.

Franco Debono failed to win a parliamentary seat, ending up with just 467 votes.

In 2003 Franco Debono was on the ballot in the fifth district, this time gaining 1130 votes.

Franco Debono was elected in parliament with the Nationalist Party from the fifth district in 2008 when he gained 2065 votes.

In Parliament, Franco Debono chaired the committee on the "Re-codification and consolidation of laws," and was a member of the committee on "Black dust precipitation" chaired by Leo Brincat.

In November 2011, Franco Debono started a campaign to split the Ministry for Justice and Home Affairs into two separate departments.

Franco Debono applauded the split, but nevertheless criticized the reshuffle as a whole, saying Gonzi had only promoted some of his secretaries to ministerial posts.

In May 2012, Franco Debono voted in favour of a motion of no confidence in Minister for Home and Parliamentary Affairs Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici, which subsequently passed.

Franco Debono supported the motion, because he felt Bonnici failed in bringing about reforms.

Franco Debono contributed in toppling the Gonzi-led administration in a budget vote on 10 December 2012.

When Gonzi subsequently refused to give in to the demand, Franco Debono cast his vote against the budget.

Franco Debono persuaded the PL to send him instead of actual PL-deputy leader Angelo Farrugia.

In 2009, Franco Debono had predicted that hydrogen would become the primary global source of clean energy one day, urging Malta to plan ahead so it won't be caught off guard.

One of the first institutional reforms Franco Debono insisted on in 2010 was that the President of the Republic be appointed by a two-thirds majority in Parliament.

Eight years later, the European Commission for Democracy Through Law, popularly known as the Venice Commission echoed the same proposals Franco Debono had voiced nearly a decade before but which had not yet found their way in Malta's corpus juris.

Franco Debono was instructed to prepare the groundwork for a major legislation on party financing.

Franco Debono who was then appointed parliamentary assistant at the Office of the prime Minister had commented that transparency and disclosure of donors were the two crucial issues at stake.

Franco Debono advocated for the right of access to a lawyer during interrogation, being for a long stretch of years the only voice fighting the battle in the name of a suspect.

Franco Debono pointed out the importance of this from the human rights perspective.

Franco Debono was a pioneer in speaking of a 'Drugs Court' to be established as part of the Maltese Court system focusing exclusively on drugs related offences as well as a change in the recording systems in all court rooms from the 'old cassette' to a modern digital one.

In late 2015 and early 2016, Franco Debono became a critic of the Labour administration.

Franco Debono said he was disappointed with Muscat for appointing a magistrate who allegedly breached the constitution.

In July 2016, Franco Debono went on record claiming that he would be willing to re-enter Parliament as a Member of Parliament for Labour.

Franco Debono noted that he might follow up on efforts of Labour's supporters - who he called "soldiers of steel" - to get the former Nationalist to join the Labour Party in order to stand for elections.