When people go to the polls, they do so believing that their vote carries weight - that their voice contributes to the outcome and direction of their community. But as the situation in Għargħur this year shows, and as history reminds us from the events in Mtarfa in 2003, this fundamental principle is not always followed. The erosion of trust in democratic local governance, when political manoeuvring overrides the will of the people, is contributing to growing public apathy. And unless this pattern is addressed, the legitimacy of local councils, already under strain, will continue to deteriorate.

Voter turnout in local elections has been steadily declining. In 2024, less than 60% of eligible voters participated, down from 62.6% in 2019 and 67.6% in 2015. This trend reflects a deeper disillusionment - people are losing faith that their vote actually matters. When political parties treat local councils as pawns in a wider national game, they betray not just democratic norms, but the very people who empower them through the ballot box.

The situation in Għargħur serves as a stark example. In the last local election, the Nationalist Party secured a solid 62% of first count votes, electing three councillors to Labour's two. The electorate's message was clear: the majority preferred PN's leadership. Yet today, the mayor's seat has shifted to Labour, not because of a public vote or shift in public sentiment, but because of internal political realignment. Deputy mayor Francesca Attard resigned from the PN, citing a desire to work "free from political pressure," and then supported a no-confidence motion that toppled her former party's mayor, Helen Gauci. The result? A PL-led council despite a PL electoral minority.

There is no denying Attard's legal right to act as she did. But legality does not always equate to legitimacy. Gauci alone received more first-count votes (869) than the combined total of the two PL councillors and the now-independent Attard (783). The democratic intent of the voters was clearly in favour of a PN-led council. That intent was subverted not through further voting, debate, or public input, but via procedural manoeuvring and political defection. What should have been a mandate-led administration has instead become a tactical conquest.

This is not the first time this has happened, and a previous example shows that even the Nationalist Party carries blame when it comes to not respecting the people's vote. In 2003, it was Labour on the receiving end of a similar blow in Mtarfa. Despite winning a majority of votes and three council seats, Labour lost control when one of its councillors moved a motion of no confidence in the mayor, which was supported by the PN's two councillors. Labour's then-leader Alfred Sant had called it a betrayal of the people's will and a violation of democratic norms. Today, it is the PN making the same claim, while Labour insists the process was democratic and justified.

Such actions, regardless of party, send a damaging message to the electorate: that what happens after the election may matter more than the election itself. Councillors can switch allegiances, parties can play numbers games, and the leadership of a locality can change hands without any involvement from the people who actually live there. This is not democracy - it is opportunism disguised as governance.

Both parties are guilty. Both have exploited the same weakness in the system when it suited them. And both, by doing so, have undermined the credibility of local councils and weakened voter engagement. When residents see their votes rendered meaningless by backroom deals, why should they care to vote at all?

The purpose of local councils is to serve communities with transparency, representation, and accountability. They should be grassroots platforms for civic participation, not battlegrounds for national party strategies. But if parties continue to hijack them for partisan advantage, they'll only deepen the divide between people and politics.

Reform is needed. First, stronger mechanisms must be in place to protect the integrity of the voters' choice. While councillors are not elected solely because of the party they represent, their allegiance forms a core part of voters' expectations. Changing that post-election without voter input is a breach of trust.

Second, local councils should be insulated from national party agendas. While political affiliation is inevitable, there must be greater emphasis on independent governance, local accountability, and non-partisan administration. Councils should reflect local priorities, not be seen as stepping stones for national political influence.

Finally, political parties themselves must lead by example. If they condemn a practice when they lose, they should not exploit it when the chance arises. Hypocrisy undermines moral authority and corrodes trust. Respecting democracy means respecting it all the time, not just when it benefits you.

What happened in Għargħur and previously in Mtarfa is not just a political footnote. It is a warning. A democracy that allows electoral outcomes to be overturned by manoeuvring - however legal - is one that risks alienating its citizens. If political parties truly care about rebuilding trust and civic participation, they must start by ensuring that how people vote always counts - not just on paper, but in practice.