People work at a vote counting hall in Naxxar, Malta, on March 27, 2022. Malta's Labour Party has won the general election with a comfortable majority, Prime Minister Robert Abela announced on Sunday. (Photo by Jonathan Borg/Xinhua)
VALLETTA, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Malta's Labour Party has won the general election with a comfortable majority, Prime Minister Robert Abela announced on Sunday.
Speaking during a telephone call with the national broadcaster, Abela said that according to calculations by party agents as vote counting got underway, his party had a significant majority over the Nationalist Party (PN).
The election held on Saturday was characterised by a record low turnout since independence, at 85.5 percent , just over 303,500 votes.
As the counting hall erupted into cheers, with party delegates celebrating the victory, PN Secretary-General Michael Piccinino conceded the defeat, saying party leader Bernard Grech had called Abela and congratulate him on his victory.
The official result, which will include the entire list of elected MPs, will be announced later on Sunday or early Monday morning.
This is the Labour Party's third consecutive general election win since 2013. However, this is Abela's first mandate as party leader and prime minister after he took over from Joseph Muscat who resigned in early 2020. ■
People work at a vote counting hall in Naxxar, Malta, on March 27, 2022. Malta's Labour Party has won the general election with a comfortable majority, Prime Minister Robert Abela announced on Sunday. (Photo by Jonathan Borg/Xinhua)
People work at a vote counting hall in Naxxar, Malta, on March 27, 2022. Malta's Labour Party has won the general election with a comfortable majority, Prime Minister Robert Abela announced on Sunday. (Photo by Jonathan Borg/Xinhua)
People work at a vote counting hall in Naxxar, Malta, on March 27, 2022. Malta's Labour Party has won the general election with a comfortable majority, Prime Minister Robert Abela announced on Sunday. (Photo by Jonathan Borg/Xinhua)
Supporters of Malta's Labour Party celebrate the victory of the general election in Hamrun, Malta, on March 27, 2022. Malta's Labour Party has won the general election with a comfortable majority, Prime Minister Robert Abela announced on Sunday. (Photo by Jonathan Borg/Xinhua)
Supporters of Malta's Labour Party celebrate the victory of the general election in Hamrun, Malta, on March 27, 2022. Malta's Labour Party has won the general election with a comfortable majority, Prime Minister Robert Abela announced on Sunday. (Photo by Jonathan Borg/Xinhua)
Supporters of Malta's Labour Party celebrate the victory of the general election in Hamrun, Malta, on March 27, 2022. Malta's Labour Party has won the general election with a comfortable majority, Prime Minister Robert Abela announced on Sunday. (Photo by Jonathan Borg/Xinhua)
Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela (C) waves to supporters of the Labour Party in Hamrun, Malta, on March 27, 2022. Malta's Labour Party has won the general election with a comfortable majority, Prime Minister Robert Abela announced on Sunday. (Photo by Jonathan Borg/Xinhua)
Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela (C) waves to supporters of the Labour Party in Hamrun, Malta, on March 27, 2022. Malta's Labour Party has won the general election with a comfortable majority, Prime Minister Robert Abela announced on Sunday. (Photo by Jonathan Borg/Xinhua)