The new President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, promised this Tuesday that she will promote the decisions taken by EU lawmakers even if they are against her convictions.

Speaking to reporters shortly after she was elected the new president of the European Parliament, Metsola said she was "honored" to have secured the position and would do "the best to represent the European Parliament with dignity". She honored her predecessor, David Sassoli, who passed away earlier this month at the age of 65.

Metsola, a member of the European People's Party (EPP), has been an MEP since 2013 and deputy speaker of parliament since 2020. The mother of four has been criticized by some colleagues for her anti-abortion views. Malta is the last EU country where abortion is still completely illegal. Metsola, like all other Maltese MEPs, consistently votes against or abstains in resolutions recognizing abortion as a human right.

Asked about women's health and sexual rights, the Maltese MEP stressed that parliament had been "unclear" about its pro-abortion stance and that parliament's stance would be hers.

Beyond this unique position, Metsola is a strong advocate for women's rights and the LGBTQ + community. As an MEP from a coastal state, she has been deeply involved in immigration issues. She believes all 27 EU countries should share responsibility for migrant flows.

Metsola has worked for media freedom, the rule of law, corruption, the European Green Agreement and job creation.

Roberta and her Finnish husband Ukko Metsola (National Coalition Party) both ran for the 2009 European Parliament elections, becoming the first married couple to run in the same European Parliament elections from two different member states. They first met in 1999 and were married in October 2005. Together, they have four sons.