Both the Nationalist Party and the Malta Labour Party yesterday expressed satisfaction with the results obtained at the local council elections, held concurrently with the general election on 8 March, but the votes of which were counted on Saturday and Sunday.

While the MLP was happy to have obtained an absolute majority of votes – which, however, is little consolation to a party that has lost three general elections in a row – the PN was satisfied that it had increased the number of councillors and won back three localities it had lost in previous rounds.

Mellieha, Santa Venera and Mqabba were, for the past three years or more, led by Labour mayor. Today, they are once again led by a Nationalist majority.

The PN has also won seats in Kirkop, Xewkija, St Venera, Zejtun, St Paul’s Bay and Marsa.

The turnaround in these localities could be attributed to the fact that there was a larger turnout of voters this time round because the local elections coincided with the national poll.

The PN and the MLP also managed to disagree on the number of councillors elected, with the PN saying it had won 70 seats against the MLP’s 73, while the MLP said it had won 74 seats against the PN’s 69.

A quick count of the number of candidates elected form the Department of Information website shows that the PN is correct.

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