European issues were far from the messages that the party leaders pitched to voters yesterday as they addressed rallies marking the official start of their respective European election campaigns.

Both Joseph Muscat and Simon Busuttil appealed for support based on the government’s track record.

The Prime Minister called his party the underdog in these elections but held out the prospect of a historic victory: if Labour elects four MEPs again, to the PN’s two, it would be the first time a party in government managed that feat.

“Positive energy” and change were what the party stood for, he said, riding on last week’s introduction of the civil unions law and referring to the government’s fulfilled promises such as reducing utility bills, lowering income tax and introducing free childcare centres for all.

Projecting the government as bold and decisive, he said the PN did not present a credible alternative.

Opposition leader Simon Busuttil said the result of the election must send the message that the government had failed to deliver on its key promises of meritocracy and transparency. Voters must show Labour a yellow card over its performance in its first year, during which it provided for its friends and exposed Malta to ridicule with its citizenship scheme.

The PN would run a campaign focused on understanding people’s needs and aspirations.

Dr Busuttil too played the underdog card, saying he was not taking anything for granted with the PN’s 36,000 vote deficit from the general election.