Metsola's first comments on party leadership: 'I have a responsibility' at EP

Roberta Metsola has said she has a responsibility at the European Parliament, in her first public comments since Bernard Grech said he would step down as Nationalist Party leader. 

Metsola was asked by Politico whether she intended to quit Brussels, where she serves as European Parliament President and an MEP, to return to Maltese politics. 

"I have a responsibility here," she told the EU-focused news site.

Metsola is widely considered to be the PN's favoured candidate to take over the party leadership and polled ahead of Grech, the outgoing leader, as voters' favoured PN leader. 

Grech acknowledged on Tuesday that Metsola is widely respected and declined to say whether he had spoken to her before announcing his resignation decision. 

The PN's executive committee is expected to meet on Wednesday evening to discuss Grech's resignation and an eventual leadership race to succeed him. Under party rules, the new leader will be elected by a vote of all party members. 

PN insiders told Times of Malta that the party has "absolutely no succession plan" and Metsola is the only consensus candidate.

“The ball is now entirely in Roberta Metsola’s court,” one high-ranking source said, speaking to the Times of Malta on condition of anonymity.

Franco Debono, a former party MP who has hinted he is interested in the post, said in a Facebook post on Wednesday morning that no candidate will be willing to put their name forward before Metsola makes her intentions clear. 

"The longer the uncertaintly lasts, the less helpful it is for the party," he wrote.

MP Mark Anthony Sammut heavily implied he wanted Metsola to be leader, saying he was ruling himself out of that race because only one candidate enjoys "consensus". 

And on Wednesday morning, another MP - Ryan Callus - said he would be willing to give up his seat  for the next leader, saying the best candidate "might not be a Member of the Maltese Parliament."

But Metsola is also facing pressure to remain in Brussels until the end of her term as EP President. 

Manfred Weber, who leads the European People's Party that Metsola represents in Brussels, said that while the decision was hers to take, "I know how committed she is as President of the European Parliament and understand that for a country like Malta having their nation in this leadership position is critical and it is critical for Europe." 

“There is much yet to do with her as President in these critical times as we build Europe into a stronger and more prosperous Union,” Weber told Politico.