Roberta Metsola has been named as one of Italian newspaper Corriere Della Sera's women of the year, describing her as "a political and personal success."

The list features around 50 women who left their mark on the year and includes the late Queen Elizabeth II, actress Amber Heard, Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni, Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle and Mahsa Amin, whose death sparked mass protests in Iran.

Metsola was the youngest, the first Maltese and only the third female to be elected president of the EU parliament in January.

Her 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.

As regards her nomination as one of the women of the year, Corriere Della Sera reference her meeting with Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelensky in April.

"The prime ministers of Poland, Slovenia and the Czech Republic had already gone on missions, but with Metsola it is the entire EU that is offering its support," the newspaper wrote.

However, if the Ukranian invasion made 2022 challenging, it's not looking like next year will be any easier.

"2023 will tell us if Metsola will be able to face the new emergency: the corruption scandal that is shaking the EU Parliament," Corriere Della Sera wrote.