Half of the readers of The Malta Independent website who have so far voted in the latest poll on this website indicated Opposition Leader Simon Busuttil as having convinced them more in the parliamentary debate on the budget.

But Prime Minister Joseph Muscat is not far behind, garnering 43% of the preferences.

The rest of the respondents said that neither leader convinced them (four per cent), or did not follow the speeches (three per cent).

The poll was uploaded as soon as Joseph Muscat finished his address on Tuesday evening and the results above are as at noon on Friday. The poll remains open during the weekend.