Graziella Galea has resigned from mayor of St Paul’s Bay, the Nationalist Party announced today.

Galea, the daughter of former PN minister Censu Galea, became mayor in 2015.

She will stay on as a PN councillor, the party said. A new mayor will now be elected.

Galea was facing a motion of no confidence filed earlier this month by all Labour coucillors as well as two former PN councillors who had stayed on as independents. The motion speaks of “problems in the running of the St Paul’s Bay local council’, which have been ongoing for a while.

The PN said Galea had resigned out of loyalty towards the residents of St Paul’s Bay and the Nationalist Party so that the party would retain a majority in the council.

In her resignation letter, which was sent to the media, Galea said she had always prioritized the interests of residents but said there were some councillors who did not do this, as can be seen from their attendance levels and performance. It said the council was not allowed to function properly because of the actions of these individuals.

Galea said she was resigning against her wishes but said she would not allow residents to be held hostage to hatred and lust for power. Now that she has resigned, she said, the motion filed against her leadership would become null and void.

She also noted that she had taken over a council (from the PL) that had debts of some €1.5 million but now has a “substantial surplus.” The council had also carried out several projects, she said.

Galea thanked the PN councillors who had supported her “till the very end” as well as the residents of St Paul’s Bay.