European Parliament President Roberta Metsola said she does not make a distinction between the politics of the European Parliament and national politics.

“This is national politics,” she added at the Naxxar counting hall, “the Maltese and Gozitan population has spoken.”

Early indications of the vote counting on Sunday put Metsola as the clear frontrunner, with PL candidate Alex Agius Saliba in second and independent candidate Arnold Cassola in third, in terms of first-count votes. When asked about the distribution of first and second counts, Metsola said that she would not be speculating.

Metsola remarked that the numbers are still being gathered, but that there seems to be an indication that the difference in votes between the two parties has decreased considerably. She added that this is a result which the PN can build upon.

“I thank the Leader of the Opposition, Bernard Grech, as we worked together as a team with hope. We made a campaign that people received well, they opened their doors to us and we heard them.”

She said that she wishes good luck to the six MEPs who are to be elected in the name of Malta and Gozo, and remarked that the work begins tomorrow in the interest of the country. “We have a responsibility to lead forward,” she commented.

She also expressed her wishes to recognise and thank everyone who participated in the democratic process, including the workers and candidates from every party. “It is important that today we celebrate the fact that this democratic process has taken place well and that this is a result we can work on.”

Metsola concluded by saying that her final message was one of courage and hope. “Democracy has reigned in this country,” she said.