Marlene Farrugia would not exclude contesting for the PN leadership, which is up for grabs after the resignation of Simon Busuttil.

Dr Farrugia remained coy as to whether or not she would actually contest, and said that PD executives will be meeting later on today to take stock of the situation.

The Partit Demokratiku leader was elected on the 10th district as part of the PN-PD coalition, and is the first third party candidate to be elected since independent.

Asked by The Malta Independent as to whether the coalition proved more beneficial to PD than PN, as it appears that she stole traditional nationalist voters rather than traditional labourites, with PN heavyweights George Pullicino and Francis Zammit Dimech losing their parliamentary seat.

Dr Farrugia insisted that it was important that people stopped viewing people as nationalist or labourite, saying that 'we are a Maltese.'

She said that she was elected in a traditionally Nationalist stronghold shows that core voters do not exist anymore.

"We need to stop being pigeon-holed; it is the only we can find solutions."

The PD Leader, who was meant with jeers and chants from Labour Party supporters within the counting hall, conceded that the electoral result showed that the Nationalist Party did not change sufficiently in the public's eyes and was in need of a major overhaul.

She said that the votes she received showed that PN supporters were in favour of the coalition, and wanted the PN to change.

Dr Farrugia would not exclude that the parties could merge to form a new political party.

On the party's role in the opposition, she said it was imperative that the opposition work to convince the nation of a new alternative government.

She insisted that the Forza Nazzjonali would not stop there, and highlighted social housing as an area she would like to pursue in opposition.

Dr Farrugia also revelead that the PD would fall under the PN whip, saying that she believed that "all the opposition in Parliament should work together so that we see that the government implements its promises."

Former Labour Whip and Health Minister Godfrey Farrugia, who run under the PD ticket after resigning last April, was not elected on the seventh district.

Facing questions from the media, Dr Farrugia said that he will continue to fight for what he believed in, namely good governance and the rights of a life.

PD deputy leader resigns

The Partit Demokratiku leader, Anthony Buttigieg, resigned after Malrlene Farrugia said she did not exclude going for the PN leadership race.

"It is with deep regret that I am publically announcing my resignation as PD deputy leader. I joined PD to create a new way. A possibility of coalition and inclusion politics. I firmly believe that is the only way we can stop the revolving door politics we have suffered from, yes suffered, since Independence. We need to bridge the divisions in this country, not maintain them.

"Marlene Farrugia's public statement a few minutes ago that she does not exlude contesting for the PN leadership and merging PD with PN goes completely opposite to my hopes, aspirations and philosophy. Do not get me wrong, Marlene means well, but our ambitions seem to have taken a different path. I am proud of Partit Demokratiku and what it has achieved.

"I am honoured to have worked with some remarkable and very honest people. I thank everbody who has voiced support for my ideas, you above all make me feel humble. But I cannot continue as Deputy Leader on a mandate tbat no longer seems to hold weight."