As European Parliament elections in 28 member states showed a shift to the right of the political spectrum, Malta also experienced its own small, but significant step in the same direction.

For the first time ever, Imperium Europa is the third largest party in Malta, having picked up 3.17% of votes with Norman Lowell’s tally of 8,238 first preferences.

It is still a small percentage compared to the Labour Party’s 54.2% and the Nationalist Party’s 37.9%, but it’s growing – up from 2.68% in 2014 and 1.47% in 2009, thereby more than doubling its tally in 10 years.

Imperium Europa has fared better than both the Democratic Party – 5,276 votes between four candidates (2.03%); and Alternattiva Demokratika – 1,866 votes between two candidates (0.72%).

Lowell, in fact, obtained more first preference votes than the PD and AD candidates put together.