Some Labour supporters believe the narrowed gap between the PL and PN in the European Parliament elections will serve as "a lesson" for the government while others feel it does not matter.

"There are some who may feel hurt by the party. I hope the PL works on that by being closer to the people. But overall people are still happy," said Sherwin Scicluna, who said he had always voted PN in the past.

Maybe, the PL needed to do more for the environment, he said. But he decided to switch sides at these elections because he felt the PL considered everyone's opinion, and the PN needed to modernise.

Times of Malta spoke to supporters outside Labour headquarters, where they gathered to celebrate the electoral victory.

Early results and projections showed Labour winning a majority of votes, but a lead of over 42,000 votes at the same elections in 2019 has been reduced to around10,000 votes and the expected loss of an EP seat.  

A few minutes after a brief address by Prime Minister Robert Abela, supporter  Rose Caruana said votes that went to independent candidates may have affected the results.

'Labour has done a lot of good'

"Everyone has their own opinion but for me Labour has done a lot of good," she said.

One Labour voter said: "Whatever the gap, it could be 100 votes, we are still happy".

"The PL loves Malta and does not seek division, unlike others who look to engage in 'holy war,' he said, in a reference to a remark by Nationalist MP David Casa, who had actually been speaking in the context of fighting corruption.

Jack Bartolo said he voted Labour because he liked the party's proposals and it implemented them.   

"I believe in the party," said Bartolo, wearing a polo shirt of PL candidate Daniel Attard.

One woman on her way to join the crowd said she had become well-off under Labour.

"I can now afford to go to three coffee mornings a week" the elderly woman said.