Overview

• Jesmond Aquilina, a member of the Maltese Labour Party and the Party of European Socialists, was shown dozing behind President María Chivite during the Committee of the Regions’ 167th plenary session in Brussels.
• The footage of the incident has gone viral on social media, shifting focus away from Chivite’s presentation on Navarra’s tourism development and water management strategy.
• Chivite delivered her address against a backdrop of ongoing UCO investigations into the 'Caso Koldo,' the imprisonment of former deputy Santos Cerdán, and fresh Servinabar revelations.
• Opposition parties have seized on the viral gaffe as evidence of the PSOE–Sumar coalition’s vulnerability ahead of looming regional and national elections.
• The episode underscores how momentary lapses at EU forums can amplify domestic political tensions and complicate regional leaders’ efforts to promote policy initiatives.