Għargħur’s deputy mayor has resigned from the Nationalist Party and said that she will continue to serve on the local council as an independent councillor instead.

Francesca Attard on Friday said that she had officially resigned as a local councillor representing the Nationalist Party and would instead continue serving as an independent councillor with immediate effect.

“This decision was not taken lightly, but I believe it is the right one. I want to work free from political pressure, with the sole aim of putting the interests of the residents I represent first. My commitment has always been, and will remain, to our community,” she wrote on her Facebook page.

The PN held a seat majority in the small locality and Attard was the second most popular of the PN’s candidates in last June’s local council election with 177 first count votes, meaning that she was appointed as the locality’s deputy mayor.

The PN had three seats in the locality compared to the Labour Party’s two – the council is now split with two PN seats, two PL seats, and Attard as an independent councillor.

“To those of you who placed your trust in me: I remain fully committed to fulfilling my duties to the best of my abilities. I will continue to be transparent and inclusive, ensuring that you are involved in any decisions taken by the Local Council that may impact your quality of life, now and in the future,” she said.

“I look forward to continuing to invest my time, energy, and dedication into making Ħal Għargħur a better place for all of us,” she concluded.