PN MEPs to back Helena Dalli for European Commission post

Roberta Metsola and David Casa will back Helena Dalli for the post of equality commissioner, a spokesperson for the Nationalist Party MEPs said.

The two MEPs, who form part of the European People’s Party, will be meeting Dalli ahead of the confirmation hearings that will be held towards the end of the month.

“The PN has already declared that we will back Dr Dalli for the post. Our delegation will be meeting her in the next days to see the way forward,” a spokesperson for the PN MEPs told MaltaToday.

Metsola and Casa have been vocal critics of the Muscat government in the European Parliament over rule of law failings.

PN leader Adrian Delia had announced the party’s support for Dalli’s nomination when Prime Minister Joseph Muscat put forward her name last July. Delia reiterated the PN's support on Tuesday when European Commission President-elect Ursula von der Leyen announced the portfolios she assigned her team of 27 commissioner-designates.

Dalli was awarded the equality portfolio, with the task of promoting equality and anti-discrimination across the union.

She will also oversee the EU’s implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disability, put forward proposals on pay transparency, and push for the EU to embrace the Istanbul Convention against gender-based violence.

Dalli’s portfolio is in line with the political work she has been doing as a government minister in Malta since 2013, where she captained the civil liberties and equality portfolio.

Commissioner-designates will have to be approved by the European Parliament before they formally take up their roles. The new commission will take office on 1 November.

The hearings in front of MEPs will start on 30 September and will continue until 8 October, when the hearings of the vice president-designates will be held.