Roberta Metsola Becomes President of the European Parliament

On 18 January 2022, Maltese politician Roberta Metsola was elected President of the European Parliament. With her election, Metsola became the first Maltese national to lead one of the European Union’s main institutions. For Malta, a country with a population of just over half a million, the moment carried a symbolic wieght. For the first time, a Maltese politician stood at the head of the EU’s only directly elected body.

Before her election as President, Roberta Metsola had built more than a decade of experience inside European institutions. Trained as a lawyer specialising in European law, she began her career working within the EU system, including roles at the Permanent Representation of Malta to the European Union and as a legal advisor in Brussels. She entered electoral politics in 2013 when she was elected to the European Parliament, becoming Malta’s youngest MEP at the time. Re-elected in 2014 and again in 2019, Metsola became known for her work on civil liberties and institutional reform, serving on key parliamentary committees and leading negotiations on several legislative files. In 2020, she was elected First Vice-President of the European Parliament, placing her among the institution’s most senior figures and positioning her as a central player in parliamentary leadership well before her presidency.

A Europe at a Turning Point

Metsola’s election came during a period of deep uncertainty for Europe. Public trust in European governance was under pressure, with increasing debate over transparency, accountability, and the future direction of the Union.

The context became even more significant following the sudden death of the Parliament’s sitting President, David Sassoli, just days earlier. His passing created both an emotional moment and an urgent institutional transition.

The presidential election took place in Strasbourg on 18 January 2022. After three rounds of voting, Metsola secured an absolute majority of Members of the European Parliament, receiving 458 votes out of 690 cast. She was elected at the age of 43. The result reflected broad cross-party support and positioned her as one of the most prominent political figures within the European Union.

Why Metsola's election mattered for Malta

Metsola’s election marked a rare moment of institutional visibility for Malta within the European project. Symbolically, it challenged the assumption that leadership roles at EU level are dominated by representatives from larger member states. Her appointment showed that political influence within European institutions is not determined by population size alone.