Valletta, Mar 28 (IANS): Malta's Labour Party has won the general election with a comfortable majority, Prime Minister Robert Abela has announced.

Speaking during a telephone call with the national broadcaster, Abela on Sunday said according to calculations by party agents as vote counting got underway, his party had a significant majority over the Nationalist Party (PN).

The election held on Saturday was characterised by a record low turnout since independence, at 85.5 per cent , just over 303,500 votes.

As the counting hall erupted into cheers, with party delegates celebrating the victory, PN Secretary-General Michael Piccinino conceded the defeat, saying party leader Bernard Grech had called Abela and congratulate him on his victory.

The official result, which will include the entire list of elected MPs, will be announced later on Sunday or early Monday morning, Xinhua news agency reported.

This is the Labour Party's third consecutive general election win since 2013. However, this is Abela's first mandate as party leader and Prime Minister after he took over from Joseph Muscat who resigned in early 2020.