Party delegates elect Ian Borg and Alex Agius Saliba as Labour's deputy leaders, Alex Sciberras as party president

Updated at 7:05pm

Ian Borg has been confirmed as the Labour Party's deputy leader for parliamentary affairs, obtaining 95.8% of delegates' votes in the party's internal election. Occupying the post also makes Borg Malta's Deputy Prime Minister.

Borg was the only candidate for the post of deputy leader for parliamentary affairs but still required a confirmatory vote.

Out of the 721 votes cast, 678 party delegates voted in his favour, with 30 voting against and 13 abstentions.

A similar result -  92.3% - was obtained by MEP Alex Agius Saliba, who was the only candidate for the post of deputy leader for party affairs. He will remain an MEP.

In comments to Labour TV station ONE shortly after the results were announced, the newly-elected deputy leaders thanked party delegates for their strong vote of confidence, while pledging "total loyalty" to Prime Minister Robert Abela, the leader of the Labour Party.

Newly-elected deputy leaders Alex Agius Saliba and Ian Borg

“The result humbles me,” Borg said in his first comments, adding that together with Robert Abela and Alex Agius Saliba he will strive to deliver the best policies.

Agius Saliba said he will be working to harness the party’s resources and energy to ensure that it remains a dynamic political force.

In a post on Facebook, Abela congratulated Borg and Agius Saliba on the result and said he was focused on the future and his party's "continous renewal."

The votes for deputy leaders were the first to be counted on Saturday after Labour Party delegates cast their votes in the internal elections. 

Alex Sciberras in razor-thin victory for party president

Alex Sciberras (Photo: James Bianchi/MaltaToday)

Alex Sciberras won the contest for the post of Labour Party president with 51% of the vote, edging out Prime Minister Robert Abela's handpicked candidate, Norma Saliba, by the slimmest of margins - just 14 votes.

In the other contest for the post of international secretary, John Grech obtained 57.6% of the vote to beat Georvin Bugeja, who obtained 42.4%.

John Grech

Other posts on the party administration were uncontested. Louis Gatt will remain vice president, William Lewis will remain organisational secretary and Catherine Fenech secretary of the executive.

Voting started yesterday and ended today at 2pm. Shortly after, the party’s electoral commission announced that out of the 775 delegates eligible to vote, 721 cast their ballot for a turnout of 95.1%.

Vote counting took up most of the afternoon on Saturday at the party headquarters in Hamrun.

In her final address to the Labour Party’s general conference yesterday, the PL’s outgoing president, Ramona Attard called for unity within the party, and for the party to be “one team against those who want to halt progress in our country.” She also called for the reinstatement of criminal libel and higher penalties for libel.

On the other hand, Labour’s outgoing deputy leader for party affairs, Daniel Micallef urged party delegates to resist those who wanted the party to adopt a siege mentality, insisting the party had to remain open to everyone.

This story is being continuously updated.