The Assembly has elected government members for the next five-year term

Presided over by the Grand Master Fra’ Matthew Festing, the Chapter General of the Sovereign Order of Malta was held in Rome on 30 and 31 May. The Chapter General is convened every five years to elect the members of the Sovereign Council (the Government of the Order), the Government Council and the members of the Board of Auditors. Fra’ Ludwig Hoffmann von Rumerstein was elected as Grand Commander, Albrecht Boeselager was elected as Grand Chancellor, Head of the Executive Branch and Foreign Minister, whereas Dominique de la Rochefoucauld-Montbel and Janos von Esterhazy de Galantha, have been elected as Grand Hospitaller, Minister of Health and of International Cooperation, and as the Receiver of the Common Treasure respectively.

The Grand Master Fra’ Matthew Festing expressed his satisfaction at the conclusion of the election: “I am confident that the expertise of the senior members elected to these important strategic posts in the government of the Sovereign Order of Malta will contribute great value as we move forward in this century of significant challenges – social, humanitarian and spiritual – in the 120 countries where we work. I send my best wishes to the newly elected members for their important tasks.”

The newly elected Grand Chancellor, Albrecht Boeselager, confirmed his intention to continue working closely with all the States with which the Sovereign Order of Malta has diplomatic relations and in particular with Italy and the Holy See, given the ancient and solid ties.

Sixty-one representatives of the Order participated in the Chapter General from five continents, including 28 of the Order’s religious, members of the executive branch and heads of the major national bodies.

The new members of the Sovereign Council for the next five-year term (2014-2019):

Grand Commander (Superior of the Religious Members):
H.E. Fra’ Ludwig Hoffmann von Rumerstein

Grand Chancellor (Head of the Executive and Minister of Foreign Affairs):
H.E. Albrecht Freiherr von Boeselager

Grand Hospitaller (Minister of Health and of International Cooperation):
H.E. Dominique, Count and Prince de la Rochefoucauld-Montbel

Receiver of the Common Treasure (Minister of Budget and Finance):
H.E. Count Janos von Esterhazy de Galantha

Members
H.E. Fra’ John E. Critien
H.E. Fra’ John T. Dunlap
H.E. Fra’ Duncan Gallie
H.E. Fra’ Emmanuel Rousseau
H.E. Winfried Graf Henckel von Donnersmarck
H.E. Geoffrey D. Gamble

Members of the Government Council
Ruy Gonçalo do Valle Peixoto de Villas Boas
Jean-Louis Mainguy
Franz Graf von Harnoncourt-Unverzagt
Juan Tomás O’Naghten y Chacón
Simon Grenfell
Mauro Bertero Gutiérrez

Members of the Board of Auditors
President
Dominik Freiherr von und zu Mentzingen

Members
Bruno de Seguins Pazzis d’Aubignan
Lancelot d’Ursel
Riccardo Paternò
Fabrizio Colonna