The day started early for tens of thousands Labour supporters who despite a very late night on Sunday were already filing into Valletta by 8am, all wearing various combinations of red and white.
Printers must have been busy overnight as many revellers were sporting red T-shirts with writing at the back reading “Joseph Muscat Prime Minister of Malta”.
Those eager for mementos to mark the day were not short of choice: stalls dotted Valletta corners selling T-shirts, mugs, caps and posters, stamped with the Labour slogan I’m In or its morphed version, I Win.
One stall was selling a historically creative artwork depicting Labour leaders who outdid the Gonzis. The painting showed former Labour leader Dom Mintoff next to his arch enemy Archbishop Michael Gonzi; and Joseph Muscat next to Lawrence Gonzi.
By 10am St George’s Square was brimming at the seams. Labour flags, old and new, were flying high. Sticking out were two rainbow flags waved by a group of gay people, who wanted to show their appreciation for “a party which recognised their rights”.
Everyone spoke excitedly about how now Malta “belongs to all” and how they all wanted to “extend the hand of friendship to PN supporters”. Robert and Sharon Duker, from Mosta said: “Joseph united everyone – whoever is not with us, can work with us.”
Ġuża Abela from Għaxaq agrees: “The landslide is due to Joseph’s sincerity.”
She said no Nationalist will be stripped off his job and that everyone is “valid”. “At least ... that is what Joseph taught us,” she said.
They all clearly adulated their leader. “Joseph is a son of a worker, and so he cannot but be humble,” Marvic Agius from Mosta said. “Our leader is so wise, he even chose to adopt the colour of the others – their blue”.
A woman in the crowd brought along her chihuahua, Princess, for the celebrations. “She is not a big fan of Gonzi – every time he’s on television she starts howling,” her owner said.
Nearby someone started complaining about the PN arrogance but he was immediately shushed: “Remember what Joseph told us – Malta Tagħna Lkoll.”
Loud cheering and foghorns drowned all conversation when Dr Muscat arrived, with his wife Michelle and his twin daughters Soleil and Etoile, at the Palace for the swearing-in ceremony. This was the first time a Labour leader was accompanied by his wife for the event. Ms Muscat was wearing an emerald green dress and an overcoat she bought from Belgium last year, a PL spokesperson told The Times.
Everyone kept craning their necks to follow the ceremony on the big screens installed in the square. At one point the crowd broke into a spontaneous singing of the national anthem.
When the new Prime Minister came out on the balcony the crowd went started chanting “Tagħna Lkoll”.
Why was nobody chanting “Viva l-Labour” tunes? “We want to show Joseph we understood his message,” one woman said.
Another shared her thoughts: “See we are not as scary as they make us out to be, aren’t we?”
The wild cheering went on till Dr Muscat stepped out of the Palace to make his way to Castille. His five-year-old twins sitting in the backseat looked quite overwhelmed as people, perched over the barriers shouting their father’s name, blew kisses and attempted to take photos with their smartphones. The car drove slowly along Republic Street which, despite the rain, was lined by even more crowds kitted in red.
St George’s Square emptied as the merrymakers made their way up to Castille. But latecomers could only find a spot at the back; those at the front had been there since 7am.
While the car snailed through the streets of Valletta, Labour activists started arriving at Castille, among them Sandro Chetcuti, who is facing charges of attacking GRTU director general Vince Farrugia.
Former PN MP Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando got another hero’s welcome when he walked in with his wife Carmen who is actively involved in the PL. “Thank you, Jeffery” shouted the crowd as he waved and beamed.
The waiting crowd was jubilant. “Whoever invented the slogan ‘Malta for All’ is a genius... Look at us we are so united,” Anthony Scerri, from Żurrieq, said.
Silvia Mifsud, from Żejtun, agreed. “My heart is fluttering with excitement. We’ve been waiting for this moment for years,” she said.
As soon as Dr Muscat and his family emerged from the car, they were nearly mobbed by the media. When they managed to make their way up the steps, the couple turned to face the crowd. Dr Muscat placed his hand on his heart in acknowledgement of their welcome. Mrs Muscat blew kisses at the crowd who were deliriously shouting “Joseph! Joseph!”
“Let me shout and holler – I’ve been waiting for 25 years to shout! No one will keep me quiet today,” one woman yelled from the crowd.
When the couple went in, the whole crowd kept looking up expectantly at the central window in Castille, from where the new Prime Minister traditionally waves at the crowd on his first day at the office.
“Joseph entered everybody’s hearts. We truly needed a change. He is young and bursting with energy,” Doreen Desira, from Żejtun, said.
The moment was greeted with complete euphoria – and if at all possible – the loudest mass cheer of these two days.
When it was over, Julia Azzopardi, from Floriana said: “I’m now heading home, I barely slept last night and I need to recuperate before next Saturday’s victory meeting.”
And all the while, a middle-aged couple from Austria were observing the whole scene bemused. “This is all very different from our country,” Frank Petrak said. “Our elections are a rather quiet affair. People are not so jubilant and emotional.”
What should the Prime Minister’s first task be?
“Civil unions. Finally we have a leader who took a stand on gay rights. No one gave us a voice before. This is a big step for us and we are happy with being given the possibility to seal our relationship with a union. Things have to be done step by step. Nowhere in the world did they move from nothing to marriage. It has to be done gradually.”
Tonio Delia, from Senglea.
“The energy proposal will be the first thing he’ll work on. He has been studying proposals for a long time so they are doable. The bills have divided the country in the two: the poor and the rich. I love the village feast and I couldn’t even put up two festoons because of the electricity cost. I even had to shower with cold water to save on water heating.”
Gulinu Farrugia, from Żurrieq.
“He will roll up his sleeves today and start working on all his proposals. He will stick to his promises – we are convinced.”
Mary Grima, from Paola.
“The most important thing is that we become the best country in Europe; that is what Joseph told us. We are a movement – some are very in favour of EU and others not so much, but the leader has told us that’s the way we need to move forward.”
Martin Pace, from Santa Venera.
Additional reporting by Kim Dalli.