The first 100 days of Roberta Metsola’s tenure as President of the European Parliament have shown her to be a determined and capable leader in uncertain times, EU observers who spoke to Times of Malta have said.

After becoming the youngest, the first Maltese and only the third female to be elected to the parliament’s top post in January, Metsola’s leadership has largely been dominated by the Russian invasion of Ukraine as well as navigating the EU’s transition out of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Antonio Tajani

Former EP president Antonio Tajani said that Metsola’s leadership had brought an unprecedented “centrality” in the house.

“Her institutional sensitivity and vision combined with her deep beliefs in freedom, democracy, human dignity and awareness of common people’s daily challenges are the perfect ingredients,” he said.

“Thanks to her, the European Parliament reacted firmly and immediately against the Russian aggression towards Ukraine.

By being the first European leader to visit Volodymyr Zelensky, she showed the world that Europe is united and ready to defend freedom without any hesitation.

Looking ahead, Tajani believes that Metsola will have a key role in shaping needed change in European institutions.

“We have many challenges lying ahead,” he continued.

“I personally believe there is an urgent need for institutional reform to render decision-making processes more democratic and transparent and make the EU and its institutions more accountable, as well as to enhance its efficiency and effectiveness. I believe Metsola’s presidency will play a key role in regaining confidence of the people of Europe from Finland to Cyprus.”

Mark Harwood

Professor Mark Harwood, director of the Institute for European Studies, said that Metsola’s election was already significant, as female leaders are infrequent in the European Parliament, but it also represented a workable compromise between member states and party groups.

“The president of the EP needs wide support to be elected. Normally that means a large caucus of MEPs backing you. For this reason, presidents of the EP have always been from large states,” he said.

“When Pat Cox was elected 20 years ago, it was considered strange because he was from Ireland (a small state) and not from the main political parties. Apart from Cox, Metsola’s election is the first time that an MEP from a small state has been elected.

“This could open the door for other candidates from small states in the future, as well as indicate that the EU is becoming more representative and that key positions do not, automatically, have to only go to candidates from large states.”

She showed the world that Europe is united and ready to defend freedom

Harwood points to her visit to the embattled Kyiv in the beginning of April as one of her most significant.

“The visit to Kyiv was timely, the first by a major actor, it was very brave, and it got widespread media coverage across Europe,” he said.

“I also thought the tone she struck was good. She came across as clear in her support for Ukraine but also sympathetic without being too servile to Zelensky. While we sympathise with him and his country, certain demands, such as automatic EU membership, are unreasonable and cannot remain unchallenged.”

He added that Metsola’s next challenge will likely manifest when Czechia assumes the Council of Europe presidency in July.

“Their government is a soft eurosceptic party and while few bumps can be expected, it will be interesting to see how it impacts EP-Council relations.”

Roderick Pace

Prof. Roderick Pace, President of the European Movement Malta, felt that Metsola’s presidency has “shaken up” the image of the office with strong values and sensitivity to citizens’ reality. Additionally, he felt that her work has shed a positive light on Malta’s reputation.

“In the past few years, Maltese politicians deluded us in many ways. Seen from our narrower angle, it is encouraging to be able to show Malta’s good side and that a small country can also assume leadership positions and help the EU ride the waves,” he said.

“Looking ahead, the EU confronts a number of situations which will draw President Metsola in the thick of them as leader of the directly-elected European Parliament. She knows that the Ukraine war is not over, and we cannot think of a post-Ukraine Europe until it stops.”

The Future of Europe Conference comes to an end in May and the EU will have to take decisions on the next steps forward. The security of the EU is an uppermost problem to confront and the European Parliament must encourage leaders to be bold and decisive. “Unless the EU unites, it will be dominated by outsiders and only unity permits us to safeguard our identities in the longer term just as the diverse Swiss cantons have managed to do for hundreds of years.”

Post-COVID-19 recovery, the repercussions of war in Ukraine, the need to wean off Russian energy supply as well as climate change ambitions will likely be the top challenges ahead, Pace continued.

“President Metsola’s leadership of the European Parliament in the next months is crucial in all of this, her most difficult exam paper.”