Malta's governing Labour Party (MLP) has declared victory in the EU country's general election.
"We have made history by winning for the fourth time in a row," said Prime Minister Robert Abela in a television interview on Sunday after initial results showed his party leading the conservative Nationalist Party (PN).
Abela said he wanted to be a prime minister for all Maltese citizens.
Opposition leader Alex Borg of the PN said in a video message on social media that he had called Abela to concede defeat and wish him well.
"The people have spoken, and we must respect their will," Borg said. He said it was not the result he had hoped for, but stressed that no one should regret voting for his party.
It is still unclear how wide the gap between the two parties is, with the vote count expected to be completed later on Sunday. According to official figures, turnout stood at more than 87%.
Abela, 48, called Saturday's election a year ahead of schedule in late April, citing global geopolitical concerns arising from the war in Iran.
He said his government needed a new mandate to guide Malta and its citizens through a looming energy crisis.
His centre-left MLP focused on continuity during the campaign and pointed to Malta's strong economy as proof of its ability to govern.
Borg's PN meanwhile presented itself as a force that would improve the country's infrastructure and reduce Malta's dependence on foreign labour. The party portrayed 30-year-old Borg - a lawyer and former Mr World Malta winner - as a fresh political alternative capable of bringing change after more than a decade of Labour rule.
