Miriam Dalli appointed head of Labour MEP delegation

Miriam Dalli has been appointed head of the Labour Party's delegation in the European Parliament after emerging as the candidate with the most votes in Saturday's election.

Dalli obtained 63,438 first count votes, upstaging former prime minister Alfred Sant and all other candidates. She obtained almost a quarter of all votes cast in the election.

The Labour Party said in a statement that Dalli was unanimously chosen as head of delegation. The PL elected four MEPs - Dalli, Sant and newcomers, Alex Agius Saliba and Josianne Cutajar.

This is Dalli's second legislature in the European Parliament, having contested for the first time in 2014.

"I thank my friends for putting their trust in me and I look forward so that as a team of four we will work in the best interest of the country and its citizens," Dalli said.