Watch: Abela visits counting hall, greeted to cheers of \u2018Viva l-Labour\u2019<\/p>\n
Prime Minister and Labour Party leader Robert Abela visited the counting hall just after 1pm, greeted to chants of “Viva l-Labour” as party candidates and agents embraced him, kissed him and made merry as Labour celebrated its fourth electoral win in a row.<\/p>\n
Accompanied by his wife Lydia and the party’s two deputy leaders Ian Borg and Alex Agius Saliba, a beaming Abela was engulfed in a crowd of Labour agents as he was taken along the halls of the Naxxar counting area.<\/p>\n
There were scenes of jubilation as Labourites shouted slogans cheering their leader and sand the Labour anthem more than once, with Abela jumping and singing along with them.<\/p>\n
Abela hugged various candidates – probably soon to be ministers – and other agents as he was literally carried by the euphoric supproters.<\/p>\n
Speaking at the start of his tour, Abela said the Labour Party’s historic fourth consecutive election victory had given it a strong mandate to implement its “Int Malta” manifesto, which he described as a programme shaped by the Maltese and Gozitan people. He pledged to continue serving as Prime Minister for all citizens while pursuing the manifesto’s goals in a spirit of national unity and progress.<\/p>\n