Roberta Metsola Re-elected as EU Parliament President

Roberta Metsola, a Maltese lawmaker from the European People's Party, won a second term as president of the European Parliament. Metsola, the first woman in 20 years to head the EU assembly, has been a fervent supporter of Ukraine. She urged the parliament to be inclusive and combat polarisation.

Roberta Metsola, a Maltese lawmaker from the centre-right European People's Party, easily secured a second term on Tuesday as president of the European Parliament, making a strong appeal for more inclusive politics.

Metsola, who in 2022 became the first woman in 20 years to lead the European Union assembly, has emerged as a staunch supporter of Ukraine amidst its war with Russia and its bid to join the EU. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy congratulated her in a heartfelt message.

Out of the 623 EU lawmakers who participated in the vote, 562 backed her reappointment, marking the largest margin of victory for a European Parliament president. "Polarisation in our societies has led to more confrontational politics, even political violence," highlighted Metsola, as she called for unity and inclusiveness to counter these divisions.

(With inputs from agencies.)