Social media is on fire with reactions to the Labour electoral victory, with tweets and posts of joy and jubilation or doom and misery.
Those from the Labour Party camp, were quick to express their joy at the result, which is expected to be similar to that in the 2013 general election.
“I feel like its March 2013 again. Thank God and Thanks Joseph Muscat,” Times of Malta reader Mary Attard wrote on her Facebook.
Comments satirically thanking Nationalist Party leader Simon Busuttil for handing the PL the electoral victory, were common. Others pointed the finger at blogger Daphne Caruana Galizia, whose reports on alleged government corruption were a major factor in the election campaign.
Transport Malta CEO James Piscopo, who was a visible part of Labour’s campaign wrote on Facebook, “the right will always win”.
Former Roads Minister Jesmond Mugliett, on the other hand, wrote: “The people stood up and said they didn't want to be led by a blogger”.
The people stood up and said they didn't want to be led by a blogger- Jesmond Mugliett
Meanwhile, the reaction from many Nationalist Party supporters was that they had given up on the electorate.
Facebook was flooded with comments of people saying they were ashamed to call themselves Maltese. Others wrote that they were no longer interested in Maltese politics as it was “pointless”.
Nationalist Party local councillor Matthew Paris said he was looking ahead and did not wish to engage in a blame game. “Today many of us are speaking and blaming all and sundry for this electoral result. Malta yesterday spoke. It shouted. The PN method did not convince. Today we cannot blame others for this result. Today we blame ourselves. Only us. It’s our fault. It's not their fault. Tomorrow we will stand up once again, stronger, better. Tomorrow we will win. Today we just listen,” he wrote.
Someone else quipped that his passport was up for grabs, as the country was now in a clearance sale.
Meanwhile, PN candidate David Thake said although the Labour Party had won, what was wrong had not been proven right.
The people, he said, had simply chosen to continue on the path it had embarked upon since 2013.
On Twitter the international reaction was also quick.
Sven Giegold, a German, Green MEP who had been vocal about Malta’s involvement in the Panama Papers, questioned what effect the election could not replace a proper investigation into money laundering and tax evasion.
Pulitzer prize winning reporter Frederrik Obermaier, who worked extensively on the Panama Papers reports for the ICIJ, was quite to hit twitter at the news of the election result. He questioned what impact the Labour victory would have on the sale of Maltese citizenship.
Frederik Obermaier Tweet:
Meanwhile, European Commission President Jean Claude Juncker tweeted a copy of a letter he sent to Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, congratulating him on the victory.