Around 720 MEPs will gather in the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Tuesday morning to elect a president for the first two and a half years of the tenth legislature.  

Two candidates are vying for office. Incumbent Maltese MEP Roberta Metsola from the European People’s Party and Spanish MEP Irene Montero from The Left, will present their pitches shortly after 10 am.

Montero entered the race at the last minute. Nominations closed on Monday at 6 p.m. and the candidates were officially announced an hour later.

Commentators on X-Twitter suggest Montero’s candidacy is largely symbolic and Metsola is expected to have enough votes to continue her presidency. She has been serving as president since January 2022.

X-Twitter has been awash with comments about the upcoming EP Presidential election

The winner of Tuesday's ballot will hold the position until January 2027.

In the afternoon parliament will elect 14 vice-presidents while on Wednesday it will be the turn of five Quaestors to be elected.

On Monday evening Metsola presided over the ceremonial raising of the European flag marking beginning of the 10th legislative term.  The ceremony was held in front of the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

The unfurling and raising of the EU flag outside the European Parliament building in Strasbourg.

Roberta Metsola attended the flag-raising ceremony.