Young activist Steve Zammit Lupi was elected to the Zebbug local council on an independent ticket last night having obtained 947 first preference votes – more than enough to see him win a seat on the first count.

Zammit Lupi, a tireless environmentalist who is also involved in the Bicycle Advocacy Group amongst other organisations, ran for the Zebbug council as an independent candidate, telling The Malta Independent on Sunday earlier in May that he wanted to contest independently to work for the common good of the locality without the shackles of partisan politics.

Zammit Lupi won 947 first preference votes, enough to see him pass the 764-vote quota and get elected on the first count.  His vote haul translates to 12.4% of the valid votes cast.

Speaking to The Malta Independent immediately after learning that he had been elected, the 23 year old spoke of his shock at the outcome; “I’m surprised really – I honestly was not expecting such a positive result...I always believed that I had a small chance of being elected but a really really small one...I was not expecting to make it on the council on the first count.”

Asked about the message that his election will pass, Zammit Lupi said that it is a message that people are open to vote for candidates based on the person rather than the party that they are contesting with.

“I think that’s a very positive and fresh approach that we need in Malta, so hopefully it can send a message to the rest of the country that we can do politics outside a two-party system”, he said.

As for his priorities for Zebbug, bringing the council closer to the residents and communicating with them more is important for him, while the environment, transport, and sustainable mobility are all subject which are very much at heart, as is the notion of involving youths in more activities and simply showcasing all that Zebbug has to offer.