Labour leader Joseph Muscat said this afternoon that Labour had won an absoute majority in the European Parliament elections.

Speaking on One TV, Dr Muscat said this was not the victory of a party, but of a movement which the PL had forged, grouping labourites and other people who up to some time ago were not in the PL fold.

"This result is not the point of arrival but the point of departure for this movement, and we will work harder because we have a lot to do," Dr Muscat said.

This Dr Muscat said, was a message that the Gonzi government was crumbling and the PL had to offer its alternatives.

He appealed for celebrations to be calm and civilised, saying the party would not tolerate any law-breaking.

The PL has not so far said how big its absolute majority is, with reports that it is as big as 53 percent not being confirmed.

The PL won 48.42 percent of the vote in the 2004 EP vote, when no party won an absolute majority.