Karl Stagno-Navarra
Opposition and Labour party leader Joseph Muscat last night declared that the electorate had sent a clear message to Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi, whom he accused of leading a government that “is falling to pieces.”
Addressing a delirious crowd outside the PL headquarters in Hamrun, Joseph Muscat said the vote was clearly not one of protest, but a “clear choice for Labour.”
Amid chants of “Joseph! Joseph!” from the huge crowd that thronged the Mile End, the PL leader said the Maltese have explicitly used their vote to tell the Prime Minister they are “fed up” at being taken for a ride, and that “they will not be tolerating this situation any longer.”
Joseph Muscat insisted however that Saturday’s vote was clearly not a protest vote, but a clear choice for Labour, that has started to lead all Maltese towards a “brand new dawn”.
He explained that the result rewards the PL for its efforts to strengthen the “new coalition of ideas and opinions, that does not look back at yesterday’s divide between red or blue,” but looks ahead to bring “change” to the country.
“This movement bringing workers and people from all strata in society is indeed the start of a brand new beginning,” he told the cheering crowd.
Accompanied by his wife Michelle, Joseph Muscat expressed his satisfaction at the electoral result, thanking all those who voted for labour, and those who chose to abstain.
“Even to those who did not vote, I tell them that I will strive to make them understand that their place is also with Labour, within our brand new progressive movement,” Joseph Muscat said.
He adding he was more satisfied at having seen democracy being put into practice.
“This is just the beginning,” Muscat stressed, promising that as from now, the PL will strengthen its work to consolidate the significance of this electoral success, and bring it to fruition by leading the nation towards a “brand new tomorrow”.
At the beginning of his speech, Joseph Muscat saluted the memory of Labour MP Karl Chircop who passed away last year after a brief illness.
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