Centre-Right MEP Metsola Set For Parliament Presidency

Maltese MEP Roberta Metsola is almost guaranteed to become the next European Parliament president, with her centre-right European People's Party (EPP) coming to terms with the centre-left Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D) and the centrist Renew Europe (RE) in a deal reached late yesterday. Results expected to be announced at around 1100CET (0500ET, 1000GMT).

• Voting in the Plenary session in Strasbourg is taking place presently. A simple majority is required for election, and given that the EPP, S&D, and RE together hold 421 of the 705 seats, Metsola is likely to win in the first round.
• In order to gain the support of the S&D and RE, the EPP were forced to concede a number of the vice-presidential positions to those parties. The S&D gain one to hold five VP slots, and RE gain two to hold three positions.
• According to Politico, in retaliation for the Greens/European Free Alliance putting forward their own presidential candidate, the EPP may back a candidate from the European Conservatives and Reformists group for a VP slot, despite that group being smaller than the Greens/EFA in the European Parliament.
• The other candidates running for the position are Alice Kuhnke (Swedish Greens, Greens/EFA), and Sira Rego (Spanish United Left, European United Left/Nordic Green Left).