The Nationalist Party has been granted two more seats in Parliament in order to reflect the House’s proportionality compared to the final voting tally.
The Electoral Commission announced on Monday afternoon that Toni Bezzina and Ian Vassallo have been elected to Parliament by virtue of this procedure.
“The Electoral Commissioners at the poll for the election of Members of the House of Representatives, held on the 26th of March, 2022, do hereby give notice that Bezzina Anthony (Toni) and Vassallo Ian are duly elected to fill the additional seats of Members of the House of Representatives according to the proviso of Article 52 (1) of the Constitution of Malta,” the Commission said.
Bezzina contested on the 5th district, where only PN leader Bernard Grech was elected for the party.
Vassallo meanwhile contested on the 7th district, and just missed out on a seat to Ryan Callus despite having 700 or so more first count votes than him.
It means that Parliament grows from 65 to 67 seats, with the potential that it could grow by 13 more: 12 through the gender corrective mechanism, and one more if ADPD are successful in their constitutional court case to be represented in Parliament by virtue of this same proviso.