Watch: PM welcomes re-election of 'hard-working' von der Leyen to top EU post
Abela was happy to see Malta's proposal for the creation of an EU Commissioner for the Mediterranean included in her manifesto
Prime Minister Robert Abela congratulated European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Thursday, following her successful re-election to the role.
"I'm very happy for her because I know how hard she worked," Abela said.
"We worked on the most difficult part together, the pandemic, and that's where the Commission and the EU as a whole really showed that when we work together we can be successful."
Von der Leyen won with the support of 401 MEPs in the 720-seat chamber - comfortably over the 361-vote majority she needed to remain head of the EU's executive body. There were 284 who voted against her in the secret ballot.
Abela said that he promised von der Leyen Malta's support and voted for her at the European Council.
"I believe that she is the best-suited person to work on Europe's priorities for the next five years," he said.
He also said he was happy to see that von der Leyen has included one of Malta's proposals, the promise of an EU Commissioner focused on the Mediterranean, as one of her campaign proposals.
Abela said that the idea was born at the Med 9 summit held in Malta last year and expanded upon at a strategic meeting in Zagreb shortly after.
"It so happened that I announced this proposal just a few hours after we had the opportunity to show her the realities of our country, and so she was impressed with what we gave her," Abela said.
"I am very satisfied to hear that this morning, before her election, she announced a commissioner with a portfolio dedicated entirely to the Mediterranean is going to be instituted."
"It also shows that despite being the smallest country in the EU, our proposals, when studied well, are effective and can make a difference," he said.
Abela also noted that it was positive to see the Commission president instituting proposals Malta has already implemented, such as a youth advisory council.
"There is a synergy of how we work with her that bodes well for the future," he said.