The European Union’s 705-seat legislature elected today Maltese conservative Roberta Metsola as its new president.

Metsola has been acting president since the death last Tuesday of her predecessor David Sassoli, to whom she was vice president.

She was elected with a clear majority of 458 out of 616 ballots cast.

“I am honored to have been elected by my colleagues as president of the European Parliament. I know that I have big shoes to fill, and I will pay a tribute to David (Sassoli) and all those before him by always, always standing up for this house and for Europe”, - she said.

Metsola also promised to “stand against anybody who wants to destroy the European project”.