European Parliament President Roberta Metsola said Saturday she “cannot abandon” her responsibilities in Brussels to lead Malta’s Nationalist Party and vie for the prime ministership in her home country.

“In politics there is no greater personal ambition than leading your party to victory in elections and being the prime minister of your country. But all this is not about my personal ambitions, but about what responsibility is in politics,” Metsola wrote in a post on Facebook on Saturday.

Following the unexpected Tuesday resignation of party leader Bernard Grech, speculation swirled in Malta whether Metsola would trade Brussels for Valletta. Metsola is one of her party’s most popular politicians and seen as the consensus choice that can lead the Nationalists to victory in next general elections slated by March 2027.

But Metsola on Wednesday hinted in comments to POLITICO she would stay in Brussels to continue with her responsibilities. Her post on Saturday confirmed that the door was shut on a return to domestic politics and put to bed rumors that she could take on the role of party leader while keeping her job as European Parliament president.

“My commitment and focus cannot be divided,” Mestola said.