Your editorial The sixth seat (TMID, December 14) takes at face value the claim made by Alternattiva Demokratika that the theoretical sixth Maltese MEP seat is automatically theirs by right. This is mathematically incorrect.

The first count result of the 12 June election was: MLP 118,983 votes, PN 97,688 and AD 22,938. If the quota is calculated on six seats (one seventh of valid votes cast plus one), rather than on five seats, it would have been 35,104.

With this quota, the MLP vote would have been equal to three quotas plus 13,671 votes; the PN two quotas plus 27,480 votes; and AD just 22,938 votes.

This means that the sixth seat would have gone to a PN candidate and not to Arnold Cassola.

I am writing this as a matter of mathematical correctness.

Considering that I contested that election, I feel I have to declare that I am not pursuing any personal interest and if this “observer” seat does materialise, I strongly feel that it should be given to Joanna Drake.

Michael Falzon

Naxxar