Valletta - A 60-year-old lawyer was voted in as Malta's next president Wednesday, amid rare consensus in the politically-divided island.

George Abela was unanimously voted in by parliament as Malta's eighth president, and the first ever from an opposition party.

A former deputy leader of the Labour Party, last year Abela contested the top post for a party trailing from three successive electoral defeats.

Pressure had been mounting on Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi to nominate to the presidency an individual from the opposition benches, in a bid to reflect the wafer-thin victory his Nationalist Party obtained in March 2008.

Renowned for his charm, Abela is lauded in Malta for his moderate style of politics and for indirectly working towards the island's EU membership bid, despite his own Labour Party's objections.

Abela will succeed Eddie Fenech Adami, one of Malta's most respected politicians. He will be sworn in on Saturday. (dpa)