Joseph Farrugia will return to Parliament in the coming days for the first time since the Alfred Sant administration.

Known as il-Farrell, Mr Farrugia won yesterday’s casual election by a whisker, beating former MP Anthony Zammit who had been leading for the first three counts.

The election was held to fill the vacant parliamentary seat left by new European Commissioner Karmenu Vella. Mr Farrugia, who served for 22 months under the Sant government between 1996 and 1998, won with 1,985 votes, just 86 more than Prof. Zammit. He failed to equal Mr Vella’s 2,028 vote quota.

Repeated attempts to contact Mr Farrugia, who was not present at the counting hall, proved unsuccessful.

The election was also contested by Robert Henry Bugeja, Marsaxlokk mayor Edric Micallef, and Marsascala mayor Mario Calleja.

Mr Bugeja, who stirred controversy over Facebook comments with a strong anti-migration sentiment, placed third.

Mr Bugeja had taken to social media to urge Maltese not to donate to the President’s Boxing Day fund drive, l-Istrina.

He claimed, among other things, that President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca was forcing Maltese to integrate with African migrants who he accused of “stealing Maltese jobs” and enjoying preferential treatment when it came to social benefits.

The Labour Party had distanced itself from Mr Bugeja’s comments, the day before the election, saying they clashed with the party’s policy on migration.