A MaltaToday survey published Sunday indicates that the Labour Party will win the European Parliament election with a 17,000 advantage.

The survey shows that the turnout for the election will be 71%, with the PL set to grab 50.7% of the votes and the PN 44.2%.

In March, an MT survey saw the PL leading by 10 points, which is now down to seven, with a turnout of 77%.

The latest survey puts the strength of third parties and independents collectively at 5.1%, a marginal increase from 4.6% last March. The PN’s tally increased by 1.6% over March’s survey.

The survey was taken in the last two weeks in April before the formal start of the parties’ campaigns and a tumultuous week dominated by the political fallout from the hospitals magisterial inquiry.