Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi will today call an election for 8 March, the day when it has officially been announced that local council elections will also be held.

The law lays down that an election must be called at least 33 days before it is due to be held, and 4 February has long been penned as the day when Dr Gonzi will blow the whistle.

Dr Gonzi is expected to call on President Eddie Fenech Adami this morning and will later publicly announce that the election will be held on 8 March. Parliament will be dissolved and will not be meeting tonight. The last sitting was held on Wednesday.

It will be the first time a general election will be held on the same day as an election for local councils. In 2003, the referendum for EU membership was also held on 8 March together with local council elections, while a year later the local council elections were postponed to June to coincide with the European Parliament election.

Last Friday, the Electoral Commission officially announced that this year's local councils will be held on 8 March. As for the general election, it is up to the Prime Minister to announce the date. And this will happen today.