The electorate will have to vote against the position of the two main political leaders if spring hunting is to be abolished.

Opposition leader Simon Busuttil yesterday announced he would be voting in favour of keeping the spring hunting derogation in April’s abrogative referendum, a position identical to that taken by Prime Minister Joseph Muscat last week.

Asked if his position would alienate some of the Nationalist Party’s core voters who were against hunting, Dr Busuttil said: “Whoever knows me will appreciate this is the only decision I could reach as I will not go back on my word.”

He could not vote to abolish a derogation for limited and sustainable spring hunting, which his party in government had secured ahead of the 2003 EU referendum.

While both leaders will argue and attack each other over the finer points behind their decision, they are giving MPs a free vote.

Despite this, MPs from both sides of the House seem to have come together in a rare show of solidarity to maintain spring hunting, according to a The Sunday Times of Malta straw poll of 20 members.

In all, just four MPs – three Nationalist and one Labour – said they would vote to abolish hunting in spring and despite Dr Busuttil’s assurance that they had the freedom of choice, all three Nationalist MPs preferred to remain anonymous.

It has yet to be seen whether this situation will work in favour or against the campaign of the Coalition Against Spring Hunting, which unveiled its campaign yesterday.

The coalition acknowledged that many would choose to adopt their leaders’ position, but it was confident that “time has shown the electorate is not blind”.