Roberta Metsola has accepted the nomination to the be the European People's Party's candidate for European Parliament President.
Roberta Metsola served as President of the EU Parliament for the past two and a half years. In the MEP elections held on Saturday 8 June in Malta, she received a record number of first preference votes - 87,473.
The first step will be to see whether any others from the EPP will throw their hat into the ring. If not, then the next stage will be at the first plenary of the EU Parliament, where MEPs will elect the new President from the different party candidates. If elected, Metsola will serve her second term as President. The first plenary session of the new legislative term will take place from 16 to 19 July in Strasbourg.
Posting on Facebook, Metsola said that "the trust placed in me by the Maltese and Gozitan people last week places a bigger responsibility than ever before on me. A sense of duty to represent all Maltese and Gozitans in the best way (that I can)."
"After speaking with the Leader of the Nationalist Party and with colleagues in the European Parliament, I took the decision in the name of my country to accept the nomination to be the European People's Party's candidate for European Parliament President."
This newsroom is informed that her nomination will be officially submitted on Monday.
"I understand that this is a journey of significant challenges, but with your support, we can achieve our goals and our country will be represented in the leadership of the European Union. At the same time, while I will be able to continue to wave the Maltese flag wherever I go, I will be working with more determination and energy in our country and within the Nationalist Party to be part of this wave of change in Malta and Gozo. Together, we can fulfill the hope of the Maltese."