From Mr C. Grima

The Gozo vote was decisive in the last general election for the first time since Independence. Analysing the 10 general elections in the table below, one can easily come to this conclusion.

Elec. Total Seats Gozo excluded

Year PN MLP PN MLP REMARKS

1966 28 22 24 21 PN still with majority without Gozo

1971 27 28 25 26 MLP majority better off without Gozo

1976 31 34 28 32 MLP majority better off without Gozo

1981 31 34 28 32 MLP majority better off without Gozo

From now onwards under the new provision (First preference system)

Elec. First Count Votes Gozo excluded

Year PN MLP Others PN MLP Others REMARKS

1987 119721 114936 508 110292 106961 448 PN still with majority

1992 127932 114911 4296 116953 107382 4176 PN still with majority

1996 124864 132497 3963 114164 123431 3695 MLP majority better off

1998 137037 124220 3513 125542 115520 3379 PN still with majority

2003 146172 134092 1949 132955 124915 1859 PN still with majority

2008 143468 141888 5443 130327 131703 5026 PN NEEDS GOZO VOTE

The Gozo vote was also needed by the PN majority in the 1962 general election, when the PN garnered 25 seats out of 50. Without Gozo, the PN would have had 22 seats out of 45 and although it had a relative majority it could not govern because the other four parties had 23 seats among them (16 seats for MLP, four seats for the Democratic Nationalist Party, four seats for the Christian Workers Party and one seat for the Constitutional Party.)

Way back in the 1955 election, the MLP garnered 23 out of 40 seats (a majority of six seats). The MLP had three seats from Gozo at this election, leaving a majority of five seats. This was the only occasion when the MLP had the lion’s share in Gozo.

In the elections of the early 1950s there were coalition governments, with no party winning a majority to govern on its own.

Carmel Grima

KERCEM, GOZO