Prime Minister 'speechless' at 'historic' 45,000 vote majority for Labour Party

Joseph Muscat says indications are PL has obtained a 55% majority, with the PN having received a record low 37% of the vote  • Fourth seat for PL likely

Joseph Muscat said the indications pointed at a 55% 'historic' majority for the PL, which is also likely to elect its fourth seat to the European Parliament
Joseph Muscat said the indications pointed at a 55% 'historic' majority for the PL, which is also likely to elect its fourth seat to the European Parliament

Provisional figures indicate Labour has won the European elections with a "historic" majority of 55% of the total vote, indicating a staggering gap of 45,000 votes over the Nationalist Party, the Prime Minister said.

Announcing the PL's predictions on TVM Sunday morning, Joseph Muscat said he was left speechless at what looks to be the biggest win for any political party in Malta's history.

Muscat said that while the PL's 55% majority is roughly similar to that the party obtained in the 2017 general election, and denoted an increase over the advantage obtained in the 2014 MEP elections, the gap itself had grown substantially.

"Our provisional figures - the process is still at an early stage, and it is a new counting process, so our party predictions are moving slower than usual - are of around a 55% majority for the PL, which indicates an increase over the 2014 MEPs election, and the same percentage as the last general election," he said, "The gap has grown however, and it appears to be the biggest in history, at around 17% or 45,000 votes."

He said projections indicated that the PN obtained around 37% of the vote - a record low - signifying a 17% gap from the Labour Party.

"Our projections are that the PN got around 37% of the total vote. Obviously the figures can vary from time to time, and it is still a bit early, but what is certain is that the Labour Party has won, that the gap is the biggest ever registered at 17% and 45,000 votes," he said.

Fourth seat for Labour likely

Muscat said the indications were that Labour would also elect a fourth seat to the European Parliament.

"If our indications are correct, the PL has also elected its fourth seat to the European Parliament. This was a very far off target for us, and I am speechless that we managed to get to this point."

On a political level, Muscat said these results shows that unity triumphed against the Opposition's divisive message, and that it amounted to a vote of faith in the government.

"Politically I think the message of unity triumphed against a message of divide. It is a vote of faith in the government and in the movement which leads the government. And it is a vote refuting division and refuting those who work against Malta. It is also a vote against the creation of fear about non-existant issues," he said.

While previous Labour victories were the biggest ever achieved since independence, this result would be the largest majority ever obtained in the Malta's history, he highlighted.

"Up till now we had the biggest majority since independence, but now its the largest majority in the country's history, surpassing even the majority achieved by Paul Boffa in 1945."

Despite the results, he insisted that the government would be keeping its feet on the ground and listening to people's concerns.

"We need to keep our feet on the ground and keep listening to what the people have to say. There were still Labourites and Nationalists who did not vote, and we have to listent to them both, as they have a message to send," he noted.

"From tomorrow morning we will keep on working. I hope that the message which the people sent will be taken on board by those who will be representing Malta in the European Parliament in the next five years," Muscat added.