Updated 4.23pm - Added video

Former Minister Francis Zammit Dimech has won the race to take Therese Comodini Cachia's seat in the European Parliament.

Dr Zammit Dimech took a commanding lead in vote counting from the first round and never relinquished it, though rival candidate Norman Vella came within less than 1,500 votes of him. 

"This is a new chapter in my political life, and a very important one. I look forward to it with a great sense of determination and service to the Maltese people," he said in his first comments to the media following his victory. 

Six candidates were to take on the Nationalist Party's third seat as MEP, after Dr Comodini Cachia was voted in as a member of the Maltese parliament. 

Aside from Dr Zammit Dimech and Mr Vella, Ray Bugeja, Helga Ellul, Jonathan Shaw and Kevin Cutajar were also in the running. 

Photo: Mark Zammit Cordina

Their first count votes in today's election showed Dr Zammit Dimech with 10,719 votes, Mr Vella with 5,557, Mr Bugeja with 4,635, Mr Cutajar with 3,154, Ms Ellul with 2,857 and Mr Shaw 2,245. Dr Zammit Dimech was eventually elected following the fifth round of counting. 

Dr Comodini Cachia had raised a storm of criticism from both sides of the political divide when she first announced that she had had a change of heart and would not take up her seat in the Maltese parliament and instead stay on as an MEP. She then reversed her decision.