Keith Azopardi was elected as the new GSD leader last night after having secured more than 60% of the vote from members and the executive.

He said it was a real honour and privilege to have been elected as the new leader, saying this marks a new beginning for the GSD.

His opponent Roy Clinton received 39.77% of the vote from around 235 votes in the ballot box, but this wasn’t enough to secure the leadership position.

The results were announced by Edwin Reyes shortly before 10pm last night, to cheers and applause from members who were tightly packed in the Charles Hunt Room in the John Mackintosh Hall and who spilt out into the foyer.

Reflecting on the contest, Mr Azopardi said Mr Clinton fought a great campaign and deserved every single vote he received, adding: “He is going to be a very important member of my team, he is going to be shadow finance minister and will one day be an excellent finance minister.”

Mr Azopardi said the GSD has to now fight a positive campaign for the future and take a positive fight to the Government. He said he would give the party a strong, robust leadership and develop a “collegiate approach”.

When speaking to members earlier in the evening, he called for an end to “corrosive in-fighting that has to stop and it has to stop now”.

Mr Azopardi said he would appoint a new Leader of the Opposition to spearhead the GSD in Parliament ahead of Tuesday’s session after Mr Clinton indicated he would step down from the role if unsuccessful for the party leader position. Having gained the majority of the votes both by the executive and the members, Mr Azopardi added: “This gives me that democratic legitimacy of having come back as the new leader, and I am going to have to lay down a new strategy over the coming months.”

When asked if things are looking up for the GSD, Mr Azopardi said: “It has been a difficult time for the GSD for a while, but this process now marks a new beginning for the GSD where we will go from strength to strength and with that objective that I am mapping out for myself in the coming months in accordance to the nine-point programme I issued earlier this week.”

He said he understood that people who voted and supported Mr Clinton may be disappointed with the night’s result, but going forward he hopes to prove himself as a strong and good leader for the party. He added that they were now all part of the same team and called for everyone to move forward together and for the party to unite to provide a strong alternative for government at the next general election.

Both men commented on the “excellent turnout” both among members and the executives, with Mr Azopardi adding that there was a dynamic and important interest in this event.

For his part, Mr Clinton said: “I thought tonight was extremely encouraging, it showed the strength that exists within the GSD and the party will go from strength to strength.

“I hear what the members have voted for this evening and I respect that, and we will continue with business as usual from tomorrow morning.”

He said he wanted to thank everyone for their support in helping him run this campaign.