PN claims electoral victory

The Nationalist Party yesterday claimed victory in the country's general election saying it obtained a relative majority of the popular vote.

Net Television said the PN had obtained 49.3 per cent of the popular vote and 1,200 votes more than the Labour Party which, it said, netted 48.9 per cent of the vote.

The lower than usual turnout in Saturday's vote (93 per cent) had many people predicting a Labour victory but as the sampling of votes by the parties began at 10.30 a.m. it was clear that the result was going to be extremely close. Although small groups of MLP supporters had began celebrating early in the day, these soon dispersed when it became known that the PN was actually leading. PN supporters took to the streets later in the morning and remained celebrating throughout the day and late in the night.

The result is the closest since 1966 and was announced at 9.30 p.m. by PN secretary general Joe Saliba. Shortly afterwards the MLP's television station, One TV, said the PN would be governing for the next five years.

However, at 9.50 p.m. party deputy leader Michael Falzon said he would rather wait for the official result of the number one votes won by Labour candidates before pronouncing himself on the result.

Later in the evening, MLP secretary general Jason Micallef said the party's predictions were not the same as those announced by Mr Saliba and the two parties were neck and neck. Mr Micallef said the MLP would wait for the official number one vote count by the Electoral Commission before making a statement on the election result. Later in the evening Mr Micallef said the official result was expected in the early hours of the morning. Malta's electoral system awards an absolute majority of seats to the party that wins either an absolute majority of votes or, in a scenario where only two parties are represented in Parliament, a relative majority of votes. This is the first time since 1966 that no party has won an absolute majority.

Neither PN leader Lawrence Gonzi, who contested this election for the first time as party leader, nor Labour leader Alfred Sant made an appearance at the Naxxar counting hall nor did they address their respective supporters during the day.