Independent candidate Arnold Cassola has individually obtained more votes than the two Alternattiva Demokratika candidates in the European Parliament election.

Cassola (right) picked up 2,127 preferences, against the 1,021 collected by AD leader Carmel Cacopardo (centre) and the 845 given to Mina Tolu – total between them 1,866.

Cassola was one of the founders of Alternattiva Demokratika and for a time was also its leader.

He had announced his candidacy for this election with AD but broke away from the party earlier this year after AD would not commit itself against abortion.

Cassola had been close to obtaining a seat in Brussels in the first EP election in 2004, and was the last candidate to be eliminated in an election when Malta only had five seats as against today’s six.