European Parliament President Roberta Metsola has received a major endorsement for a potential historic third term, with Italian Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani publicly throwing his support behind the Maltese politician.Speaking at the Rimini Meeting in Italy ahead of Metsola’s address, Tajani, himself a former President of the European Parliament, praised her record at the helm of the institution.“If I were still an MEP, I would vote for her again as President, so that she could continue her extraordinary work,” Tajani said.The Italian politician, who led the European Parliament between 2017 and 2019, said Metsola had done an “extraordinary job” and highlighted her ability to command support across different political forces.According to Tajani, that support stems from Metsola’s “balanced approach” to leading the European Parliament.And another term would make history.Metsola is currently serving her second term as European Parliament President, which is due to end in January. If she secures another mandate, she would become the first person in the institution’s history to serve three consecutive terms as President.During her own address at the Rimini Meeting, Metsola turned her attention towards some of Europe’s biggest challenges, calling for courage as the continent navigates its future.She also argued for a pragmatic approach towards Europe’s green transition, stressing the importance of protecting businesses and European competitiveness while pursuing environmental goals.“That is what we are doing, and what we will continue to do in the coming weeks,” Metsola said, pointing towards the European Parliament’s work on packaging legislation.Migration was also highlighted as another major issue on the agenda, with Metsola saying Europe must continue working towards solutions that are effective and sustainable while responding to citizens’ concerns.But Tajani’s comments are likely to attract particular attention back home, with the Italian political heavyweight now openly backing another potentially history-making chapter for Malta’s highest-ranking European politician.What do you make of this?•