Conservative Roberta Metsola elected president of European Parliament

Strasbourg, France, Jan 18 (EFE).- The European Parliament on Tuesday elected Roberta Metsola as president after the sudden death of former president David Sassoli, who died last week at the age of age of 65.

Metsola is the third woman to hold the post in the history of the legislative body.

The conservative lawmaker from the center-right European People’s Party (EPP) won the election by a landslide, with 458 out of the 618 eligible votes.

“I want to be a President of Members who makes full use of all young energies and old wisdoms, present in the House to help find solutions to the challenges of our time,” Matsola said during her presentation.

“It is in this House that we must double down our commitment to fight climate change and become the world’s first carbon-neutral continent.

“It’s here where we must be able to fight to find a way forward on migration, on energy, on digitalization, on health, on equality, on a new economic model, on defense, on solidarity and social justice.”

This position makes Metsola the first Maltese national and the youngest person to ever head the European Parliament.

The newly-elected president also went on to highlight the importance of women’s rights, as well as equality.

“Women’s rights cannot be an afterthought. The fight for real equality must go beyond image. It must permeate through everything that we do and I would be proud to be the president to lead that fight, to honor the legacy of all those who came before.

“The president of this House must be one who can bring people together. She must be able to help members close the gap between people and European decision-making.” EFE

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