Ms. Roberta Metsola re-elected President of the European Parliament

At the beginning of the 10th session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg (France), Ms. Roberta Metsola was elected President of the European Parliament for the next 2.5 year term.

In the vote held on the morning of July 16 (local time), the 45-year-old female politician from the Christian Democratic Party from Malta won 562 votes out of 623 votes cast by newly elected lawmakers, a comfortable victory as she easily surpassed the required majority.

"With your support, I will continue to work tirelessly to bring people together. This must be a house that is not afraid to lead and to change," Metsola said in a speech before the vote, promising to create an atmosphere of "debate" and "respect."

"This must be a strong Parliament in a strong Union," she continued. "We cannot accept that our role as parliamentarians is diminished."

Irene Montero, Ms. Metsola's opponent, won only 61 votes.

The result reflects Ms Metsola's growing stature as a pragmatic leader, willing and able to work with different political forces, and consolidates her credentials as one of the most prominent figures in the centre-right European People's Party (EPP).

She was first elected to the post in January 2022, following the sudden death of her predecessor, David Sassoli. Her election was a breakthrough for Malta, the smallest EU country, which has never had a citizen in such a high-ranking position.

Since then, Ms Metsola has been active in her role as president, traveling to European capitals to forge personal ties with heads of government and explain to citizens the often misunderstood role of Parliament.

She visited Kiev in early April 2022 and expressed sincere support for Ukraine's ambitions to join the bloc.

That December, her leadership faced a major test: the sudden outbreak of the so-called Qatargate scandal, a scandal involving payments in exchange for favors among some members of the European Parliament. Metsola responded by updating the code of conduct to increase transparency and crack down on corruption.

“We need to stand tall and be ready,” Metsola told lawmakers in Strasbourg. “In the last term, we have learned that the future is unpredictable.”

“This must be a house that is not afraid to lead and change. We have started but we are not finished,” she added.

The President of the European Parliament also called for a strong defense of the rule of law, continued support for Ukraine, sustainable peace in the Middle East, the simplification of administrative procedures and strong protection of social rights. She also reiterated the long-standing demand for the return of legislative powers to the Parliament, which currently belong to the European Commission.

Ms. Metsola called on lawmakers to be vigilant and critical in their daily work while maintaining accountability and transparency, protecting the integrity of Parliament.

“I will always leave the door open. Members will be treated fairly and with respect,” she said. “As Speaker, people know that I can both protect our Parliament and build bridges between political factions.”