During the month preceding the elections, says their statement, Animal Rights Malta.com campaigned extensively on behalf of the Greens’ candidate Arnold Cassola, because of his animal rights credentials and his anti-hunting stance – particularly as he was the only EP candidate who stated in clear terms that he would work to abolish Spring hunting in Malta. Also worthy of note, they have pointed out, was his direct assistance to animal rights NGOs, particularly in the case of the vetoing of a law in Poland which would have allowed experiments to be performed on wildlife and stray animals.

This particular election was unique for several reasons, says the organisation. First of all, it was an election where no government was at stake, and so people could vote freely without any fear that a party they disliked would be elected. Secondly, it was the first election where one of the candidates was none other than the secretary of the hunters’ federation, Lino Farrugia. Thirdly, a candidate from the Nationalist Party ranks, Michael Falzon, was quoted as saying more than once that “hunters can only get what they want through the election of PN MEPs”.

Animal Rights Malta.com point out that the “anti-hunting” candidate, Arnold Cassola, obtained no less than 22,938 first count votes. Michael Falzon, who tried to lure hunters’ votes as quoted above, received a dismal 2,989 first count votes, while the hunters’ secretary, Lino Farrugia, obtained only 3,119 first count votes. This leaves Arnold Cassola with 19,949 more first count votes than Michael Falzon and 19,819 more first count votes than Lino Farrugia. To cater for the possibility that some pro-hunting voters might have voted for Michael Falzon or Lino Farrugia, if the first count votes of both candidates are added together, this comes to 6,108 first count votes – leaving Arnold Cassola with 16,830 votes more than both of them together.

If this was not a clear anti-hunting vote, says the organisation, it doesn’t know what could be.

After these elections, says Animal Rights Malta.com, it has become crystal clear that the hunting lobby, loud though it may be, is not as powerful as it seemed to be in the past. The government should take note that there is a growing silent animal rights lobby that is willing to use its vote to send a clear pro-animals message, and that will vote only for candidates who are pro-animal rights, like many did in the EP elections. And this, along with other issues, may swing an election result.