Buoyed by the second resounding success at the polls in little more than a year, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat yesterday pledged to keep his feet firmly on the ground for the rest of the legislature.
“We won’t allow this success to go to our head,” Dr Muscat said in his first reaction during a news conference at Auberge de Castille, in Valletta, fewer than two hours after the counting of the European Parliament election votes started.
He said that rather than showing the yellow card to the government, as the Opposition had urged the people to do, the Nationalist leader had been given his marching orders by the electorate.
Dr Muscat said the result was further testament to the fact that “the Labour movement had changed the political landscape”.
He pointed out that, contrary to the trend of the two previous MEP elections, the party in government had obtained an absolute majority.
“In all probability, the PL will be the only party across all member states mustering an absolute majority,” a buoyant Prime Minister said.
Dr Muscat pointed out that, in spite of the drop in turnout, the PL had “stood its ground” and preserved the 36,000-vote majority won in last year’s general election. He attributed this to the Labour movement, which, he said, was alive and kicking.
“Such a feat would have been prohibitive for any traditional political party,” he said.
Dr Muscat said the electorate had also rejected the PN’s negative approach.
In all probability, the PL will be the only party across all member states mustering an absolute majority
The Opposition leader had had no message to deliver in this campaign and was more intent to “incite” the people and other countries against Malta, he added.
“The new PN leadership left the party with the same level of support as last year and made no inroads.”
He noted that the Nationalist Party had not obtained an absolute majority in any election since 2003.
Pitching his address to those who had not cast their ballot, or voted for the minor parties, he pledged that the government would take note of their message and strive to meet their aspirations.
On the other hand, he expressed his appreciation that such voters had also conveyed a very strong message that the Opposition was not offering a credible alternative to Labour.
Dr Muscat said the people had given this administration “a fresh charge of positive energy” for the remainder of this legislature.