Abela congratules Metsola on EP presidency, sidesteps question on Labour MEPs’ abstention

Prime Minister Robert Abela has congratuled Roberta Metsola for again securing the presidency of the European Parliament, saying that a Maltese person in that position is in the national interest.

In comments to the media on Tuesday, Abela admitted that the Maltese government did not always see eye to eye with positions taken by Metsola over the past months.

“However, when discussions started to take place on who should occupy the four major European roles, the decision was clear,” he said. “For me, the national interest compels me to strongly support her re-nomination as President of the European Parliament.”

Metsola was re-elected president of the European Parliament in a show of overwhelming support on Tuesday as the new legislature got underway in Strasbourg.

Metsola obtained 562 votes from the 623 valid votes cast, a stratospheric 90% of support. She defeated Spanish MEP Irene Montero, who obtained 61 votes.

This is Metsola’s second consecutive term as president and she will hold the position until January 2027.

‘They didn’t vote against’

Despite the strong show of support towards Metsola, Labour MEPs Alex Agius Saliba and Daniel Attard abstained during the vote on Monday.

Explaining their vote, or lack thereof, both MEPs said they would stay consistent with what they preached during the European Parliament election campaign.

“Never against Malta. However, I also cannot vote in favour of someone who put personal advancement before the national interest. Therefore, consistent with what I said during the campaign and with conviction in my principles, this morning I chose to abstain,” Daniel Attard, who was elected for the first time this year said.

Agius Saliba said he cannot vote for Metsola “due to several principles” that are too important for him, and which she acted against over the past two and half years.

When asked about this, Abela pointed out that they did not vote against her presidency, although they did not vote in favour either.

“Today’s vote is a consequence of a much bigger decision taken weeks ago in European fora, where I made my position clear both internally and publicly.”