Malta's Miriam Dalli is elected vice president of Socialists and Democrats

Maltese MEP Miriam Dalli has been elected to the leadership bureau of the Socialists and Democrats in a vote taken today.

She is one of nine vice presidents joining Spanish MEP Iratxe Garcia, who heads the S&D in the European Parliament.

Dalli is the first Maltese to occupy such a role in a European political grouping. The Maltese Green Party’s Arnold Cassola had occupied the post of secretary general of the European Greens between 1999 and 2006.

When contacted, Dalli said she was proud that her colleagues had trusted her with their vote to form part of the S&D leadership.

“I'm even prouder that I am the first Maltese to ever occupy such a role. I want to make sure that our political group pushes for a progressive agenda, one that connects what happens at the EU level with the needs of our people back home,” Dalli said.

She pledged to work hard to push the progressive agenda. “I want us to take the lead on issues that matter most to our people across all the Member States.”

In comments after the election, Garcia applauded her “strong team”.

She added: “The bureau reflects the diversity of our political family and is gender-balanced. I am looking forward to working with the new bureau with the aim to build a strong group and secure a new agenda for change in Europe.”

Dalli was elected Labour MEP for a second legislature last May, obtaining more than 60,000 votes. She was first elected to the European Parliament in 2014.