Metsola re-elected President of the European Parliament

Maltese MEP Roberta Metsola was re-elected as President of the European Parliament for the next two years and a half.

In the first plenary session of the tenth legislature, Metsola, hailing from the centre-right European People’s Party, secured an absolute majority in the first vote, with a total of 562 votes from 623 valid votes.

In a short address prior to the election, Metsola described the European project as a symbol of standards, rule of law, equality, liberty, democracy and prosperity. “My passion for our project has not dimmed. I want to help build it better. I want to build bridges between what people expect from Europe and what we can deliver”, she told the Chamber. Metsola spoke of challenges coming to the way of the EU, in Europe, Kiev, Chisinau and beyond.

“The future is anything but predictable, but I will keep working with all of you to face these tests when they will come”, the Maltese MEP argued. She also promised to work in favour of a stronger European Parliament: “We cannot accept that our role is diluted. Parliament must be strengthened”, she said to applause of the majority of the MEPs.

Irene Montero, nominated by the Spanish Left Party gathered 61 votes. MEP Montero had promised to defend a Europe of peace which is calling for an ending genocide in Palestine, in favour of green and feminist politics. “The priority for Europe to stop the destruction of social rights”, she said. The Spanish’s Left MEP focused on LGBTIQ rights, environmental and social issues, calling for “free and safe abortions”. She also lamented Europe’s migration policy, describing it as a violation of human rights.

This vote is being considered historic given that there was only one time that the President of the European Parliament was re-appointed for a second term, the first being Socialist MEP Martin Schulz between 2012 and 2017.

Metsola was returned as a Nationalist MEP with a record number of 87,473 votes, a third of all votes cast and around 80% of the PN’s vote tally.

The Parliament will also vote on 14 vice presidents, who will deputise as Speakers in Metsola’s absence, as well as five quaestors, who handle internal parliamentary affairs. The ECR has nominated Brothers of Italy legislator Antonella Sberna as vice president, but it is unclear if she will be confirmed or contested by one of the factions that attempted to extend keep hard-right parties out of the top jobs.