Another
Maltese
president
Roberta Metsola was elected
president of the European Parlia-
ment obtaining the support of an
absolute majority of MEPs on the
first round.
The Maltese MEP received 74% of
valid votes cast in the hemicycle
in Strasbourg.
In her acceptance speech, Met-
sola pledged to uphold the val-
ues of openness, human rights,
solidarity and rule of law the Eu-
ropean Union champions. She
spoke of the need to extend the
Schengen area but at the same
time emphasised security within
the EU and at its borders.
Metsola spoke of the Russian
threat to Ukraine and the need to
focus on the Balkan states. She
also highlighted the need for the
reunification of Cyprus.
Metsola spoke in Maltese, her
mother tongue and English but
also paid tribute to her prede-
cessor David Sassoli in Italian
and put in a few paragraphs of
French.
The 42-year-old mother of four
is the first Maltese to occupy one
of the highest institutional posts
in the EU. She is the first woman
to occupy the role of EP presi-
dent since 1999.
14
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 23 JANUARY 2022
EYEWITNESS
MEPs applauded Roberta Metsola when she was elected the European Parliament's new president
Roberta Metsola delivering her acceptance speech EPP President Manfred Weber was the first to congratulate Roberta Metsola
