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11 Looking forward 2024 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 31 DECEMBER 2023 MATTHEW VELLA mvella@mediatoday.com.mt Does Metsola's Brussels train stop at Malta? IT is hard to deny the arresting charisma of Roberta Metsola, a young politician who seems to represent, in more ways than one, a kind of 'European dream'. Ten years ago, she had been the youngest elected MEP from Malta, first in a casual election and then on her own steam. Today, in her role as president of the European Parliament, she represents the good will of the EU's only directly elect- ed institution: evangelising for Ukraine's accession, com- mittedly pitted against Putin's threat to the EU, and until a few weeks ago, saluting an immi- gration pact that crowns over a decade of resolutions, talks, and political negotiations. With clear memories of Mal- ta's pre-accession days, her own coming-of-age is also part and parcel of this European dream. Studying law at the Col- lege d'Europe in Bruges, active in student politics at home and in Europe, a former employ- ee of both Malta's permanent representation to the EU and formerly legal advisor to EU's High Representative Catherine Ashton, and married to a fellow EPP member (Ukko, who also campaigned in Finland to be- come MEP, without success), a lot about Metsola has been forged within the Brussels eco- system. Metsola today represents a very particular Europeanism, wedded to a political centre of compromise, soft conserv- atism, and firmly ensconced in the EPP traditions of giving wide berth to enterprise over social equity. But more than anything else, it is her persona, networking, and cross-party support, that has crowned her time at the helm of EP as suc- cessor of David Sassoli. Her popularity at home and in Brussels has only added to the speculation as to wheth- er she will succour her ailing Nationalist Party at home, a messianic return to the unso- phisticated domestic political scene in Malta. Like so many Europeanists who left Brussels to become prime ministers – Romano Prodi in Italy, or Don- ald Tusk in Poland – Metsola has what it takes to resurrect her party with adventurous policies and a dash of glamour and hope for the future. But will she? In 2022, she was elected by 74% of the European Parlia- ment's plenary, reflecting the huge consensus she commands among Christian democrats, socialists and liberals. This kind of popularity is reason enough for her being touted for a second term in office. It's not set in stone – the power- ful EPP would rather have the second half of this five-year power-sharing deal with the socialists. So which way up, is the ques- tion so many ask of Roberta Metsola. For a return to Mal- tese politics can only be con- sidered with a seamless transi- tion to leader of the PN. If the PN regain the third seat in the coming European elec- tions, the Maltese playbook prescribes that Bernard Grech should dig his heels in with a stab at the next general elec- tions in 2027. Metsola herself cannot be seen as perpetuating the party's toxic brand for factionalism – the ideal scenario could only be one where Grech is willing to step down and Metsola is ready to take over, enabling Grech to step down on a high note, and winning a smooth transition. But a bloodless coup for Met- sola might only be possible if Grech fails spectacularly at the next elections. When in 2023 she addressed, in a somewhat muted and al- most politically neutral way, the Nationalist masses at the PN's Independence Day cele- brations, all eyes were on her – and not on the tried, tested and already defeated party leader Bernard Grech. Metsola cannot make any moves before the coming elec- tions: she will contest again under the PN banner to renew her term as MEP, and she can- not afford to let her party sink deeper into irrelevance. But it also shows that she may still be undecided on her future ambi- tions, which would also disap- point all those who invest their trust in her in the hope she would answer what they see as a call from destiny. Metsola's greatest strength so far has been that of sticking to a script which appeals to the least common denominator while still sounding uplifting; one which allows different segments of the PN's complex electorate to conjure up their own Metsola. Even in her role as EU parliament president, she can strike a note by mov- ing from registers of bland eu- rospeak to refreshing and bold declarations. The question now would be how much of a more modern, dynamic and liberal party lead- er can Metsola truly be. Is she in synch with environmental and social priorities? Will she empower women to take on more positions of power? Or will she start waving a tattered flag of Catholic 'ex- ceptionalism' on matters like reproductive rights, ever after signing the Simone Veil pact guaranteeing abortion rights to women? As a politician who credits herself as having always stood for "fact-based not iden- tity politics", Metsola's Euro- peanist destiny should free her up from the provincial shackles that make Maltese politics such a confrontational arena. In Brussels, where it is the strength of the argument that counts, Metsola built major- ities across various parties. To return to Malta and settle for its zero-sum power game would undermine the talent that has made her such a force of nature in Brussels. But she could well teach the National- ists, who saw EU accession as the island's 'Manifest Destiny', that rather than use it as cudgel against the forces of progress, conservatism can also be cou- rageous, enlightened, and co- operative – something that is often lacking in the Maltese political scene. Could 2024 spell out a clearer roadmap for the PN in its search for a prospective prime minister? All eyes will be on Roberta Metsola Roberta Metsola