AD holds its own in local elections

The local council elections on Saturday saw a shift in first count votes to Alternattiva Demokratika from both the Nationalist and Labour parties.

AD, which did not contest these localities three years ago, took 3.02 per cent of the vote. The PN's share of first-count votes went down from 49.3 per cent in 2000 to 48.90 per cent this time, while the MLP saw a decline of nearly two per cent, from 48.8 to 46.97. The independents took 1.11 per cent, down from 1.9 per cent three years ago.

AD took three seats out of the total of 159, with the PN getting 80, the MLP 75, and an independent candidate one.

There were also some changes to the council structure in various localities. In 2000, the PN had the majority of councillors in 12 councils and the MLP in 10, with a equal number of candidates in Mtarfa.

The PN managed to gain a councillor off the MLP in Cospicua, Zabbar, Victoria, and off an independent in Naxxar, but lost a seat in Birkirkara and Sliema to AD, and to the MLP in Rabat.

In Rabat, the PN also lost its majority, which was won by the MLP. The MLP won a seat in Mtarfa off an independent to get the majority there.

However, relatively, the most noteworthy performance was AD's.

In these eight localities, the percentage average obtained by the eight AD candidates amounts to 5.6 per cent, and 3.02 per cent of voters in all 23 localities.

AD chairman Harry Vassallo expressed his satisfaction at this result and thanked the more than 3,000 people who voted for Alternattiva candidates.

"This is an historic victory for the Green Party. It shows that AD is the choice of a significant number of voters," he said.

AD candidates obtained 9.9 per cent in Lija, 7.4 per cent in Marsascala, 7.3 per cent in Sliema, 6.7 per cent in San Gwann, 5.4 per cent in Naxxar, 3.6 per cent in Kalkara, 4.8 per cent in Birkirkara and 2.6 per cent in Zabbar.

Michael Briguglio, elected on the Sliema locality, promised that he would do his utmost to inject a breath of fresh air in the locality. James Camilleri was elected in Lija and Mario Mallia in Birkirkara.