Metsola reelected as European Parliament president with strong support from lawmakers

By Merve Berker

ANKARA (AA) – Roberta Metsola has been reelected as President of the European Parliament in a decisive vote on Tuesday, demonstrating a strong endorsement of her leadership and vision for the EU.

Following the EU countries' elections on June 6-9, the EU Parliament Plenary Session met in Strasbourg, France, which is the formal seat of the European Parliament and is close to the German border.

The president was elected in the first session by 720 MEPs, who will serve for five years in the 10th legislative term.

Metsola, the European People's Party (EPP) candidate, won with an absolute majority and was reelected as European Parliament president after voting against Spanish MEP Irene Montero of the Left Group.

Metsola secured 562 votes out of 699 and Montero received 61 votes in the closed envelope voting, demonstrating widespread support for her across the EU.

During her victory speech, she spoke about creating a more equal Europe by remembering past struggles and promoting inclusivity.

She emphasized the importance of creating a "safer, fairer, more just, and equal" Europe. She pledged to improve the continent’s security, competitiveness and social welfare throughout her speech

The laws passed by the EU Parliament should benefit everyone in Europe, she underlined, adding, "We share the responsibility to leave Europe a better place than the one we found."

To accomplish this, Metsola emphasized the importance of "creating a new security and defense framework that keeps people safe and pushes against the expansionist dreams of dictators.”

For this to happen, it is also necessary to consider "doubling down on Europe's competitiveness, deepening the single market, ensuring quality jobs, concluding global trade deals, completing our banking and Capital Markets Union and having implementable targets for the industry that keeps Europe's business in Europe and gives us the ability to invest in our youth," she underscored.

“We will leave Europe a better place by giving real solutions on climate,” she said, adding: “We will leave Europe a better place if we are able to reinforce Europe's social pillar.”

“We cannot move forward if our youth are unable to rent, let alone buy a place they can call home,” she criticized.

We will leave Europe a better place by implementing human-centric migration and asylum legislation, harnessing the opportunities of the digital age, and ensuring equality and inclusion for all, she vowed.

This includes tackling discrimination, hate, and violence, as well as providing equal opportunities for women and people with disabilities, Metsola noted, adding that their goal is to create a Europe in which “everyone feels at home” and can live freely and safely.

Metsola, who has been president of the European Parliament since January 2022, is well-known for her strong stances on important issues such as the rule of law, climate action, digital transformation, and gender equality.

She has defended democratic values and promoted environmental legislation, thereby advancing the European Green Deal.

Her efforts in digital regulation have positioned the EU as a global leader, and her push for gender equality has led to significant measures addressing workplace opportunities and gender-based violence.

Her reelection demonstrates confidence in her ability to lead the European Parliament through future challenges.