After the death of former Speaker Sassoli, the European Parliament welcomed the youngest speaker in history, Roberta Metsola, a 43-year-old Maltese conservative.
According to the European Times, on January 18, local time, the European Parliament held a plenary session in Strasbourg, France, and Metzola was elected as the new speaker of the European Parliament, replacing Sassoli, who died of illness on the 11th of this month. The term of office is two and a half years. Metzola is the youngest speaker in the history of the European Parliament and the third woman to hold the position.
Screenshot of the European Times report
Metzola, 43, is from Malta, the EU's smallest country, where the Conservative Christian Democratic Party (Partit Nazzjonalist) belongs to Europe's center-right People's Party caucus. With an overwhelming majority of 458 votes out of 616 valid votes, Metzola became the youngest Speaker in the history of the European Parliament and the first Maltese to hold the post, a position traditionally held by someone from the LARGEr EU member state.
According to the "Politician" website, in fact, the main groups in the European Parliament have reached an agreement before the vote. Metzola's victory was the result of a "power-sharing agreement" between the center-right European People's Party (EPP), the Progressive Alliance of Social Democrats (S&D), and the liberal liberal Renew Europe.
Metzola's election also caused dissatisfaction among some MPs. Some lawmakers bluntly said that Metsola's victory was the result of a "behind-the-scenes deal". Philippe Lamberts, a Belgian mp, protested: "The process of your (Metzola's) victory is not glorious for the European Parliament. Without sharing, democracy cannot be ruled by the majority. ”
Mezzola, a lawyer by training, has lost two unsuccessful elections, and in 2013 finally managed to enter the European Parliament, becoming one of malta's first female members of the European Parliament. She has since had a smooth career, actively participating in immigration, civil liberties and security, and since November 2020 as First Deputy Speaker of the European Parliament.
Roberta Metsola, the new speaker of the European Parliament, is imaged from the surging image
In her winning speech, Metzola said she hoped to "regain faith and enthusiasm" for European integration.
"In the coming years, people across Europe will expect leadership and direction from our institutions, while others will continue to test the bottom line of our democratic values and European principles," she said. We must counter anti-EU rhetoric that has become so easy and quick to go viral. ”
Metzola said she would work to improve the image of the European Parliament and change the perception that the European Parliament is "less powerful". "Our parliament is important," Metzola said. "It concerns the judges we are attacked, the health care frontlines who are under pressure, every woman in our EU who is still fighting for her rights, the vulnerable, the oppressed and abused."
However, although Metzola mentioned "women fighting for their rights", she has always been criticized for her position on abortion. As a Catholic country, Malta has one of the strictest abortion laws in the world and is the only MEMBER state of the European Union that completely bans abortion. Metzola has also opposed a resolution requiring all EU countries to legalize abortion. In 2015, Metzola signed a statement with other Maltese centre-right lawmakers declaring that "we remain firmly opposed to abortion". In the campaign video, Metzola plays the "family card" – showing her parent-child time with her four sons, saying that she can balance family and career.
After her election, when asked about her position on abortion, Metzola said ambiguously that she would do what Parliament wanted her to do. "I will not explain the position of parliament, their (parliamentarians') (position) is mine."
In addition, Metzola has publicly expressed his support for Lithuania, saying that he wants to be "together" with Lithuania. In late 2021, after a phone call with Lithuanian Prime Minister Jimonit, she posted on social media that "we can build a new relationship with China, but the rules of international trade will always need to be respected." Going forward, Lithuania must be able to rely on EU support. We're together. ”
The European Parliament, made up of 705 MPs elected by the electorate of EU countries, is responsible for passing and amending EU legislative proposals and determining the EU's budget.
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