Labour widens gap over PN

The Malta Labour Party trounced the Nationalist Party in Saturday's local council elections, bagging 53.2 per cent of the votes - three percentage points over 2004 and nearly 10 over the PN.

Labour has increased the number of its councillors in six of the 22 localities contested.

Three of these councils, Xaghra, Gzira and Mosta, were previously Nationalist-dominated and now have a majority of Labour councillors.

With an overall 43.9 per cent of the vote, the Nationalist Party slipped 2.9 percentage points from 2004, the last time an election was held in these 22 towns and villages.

The PN suffered a decline in all the localities bar two - Sta Lucija and Siggiewi - where it registered a slight increase.

In Munxar its support plummeted 13.2 percentage points.

The MLP increased its voter support most significantly in Marsaxlokk (up 8.7 percentage points), Xaghra (8), Zebbug, Gozo (7.9) and Floriana (7.7).

The PN lost councillors in six localities. In Attard, it lost a seat to AD.

It, however, gained one in Floriana, where outgoing mayor Publio Agius - for Agenda Socjali ghall-Floriana - was not elected.

Nigel Holland, who contested the Floriana poll, was the only independent councillor elected in this round. Three independent councillors had been elected in the 2004 election.

The Gzira council was returned to the Labour Party by a narrow margin, after it was dominated by the PN for three years.

Mosta was the most heavily fought town.

Alternattiva Demokratika, which contested seven localities, elected two councillors - in Swieqi and Attard. It netted just over two per cent of the total votes cast and close to seven per cent in the seven localities.

In Munxar, it secured 11.7 per cent of the votes, but failed to elect a candidate.

These elections were marked by a fall in turnout in all localities compared to the 2004 elections, which, however, coincided with the European Parliament polls.

Compared to the 2001 local elections, however, there was an increase in turnout in Mosta, Floriana and Luqa.

Compared to 2001, Gharghur saw a decrease of 12.3 percentage points in turnout, while in Attard - where the PN saw a sharp decline in support - the figure was 11.3.

Xaghra too, venue of another defeat for the PN, saw turnout sliding substantially.

Reacting to the results later, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said he did not see them as a reflection of the people's dissatisfaction with the government, adding that the PN had suffered from the low turnout.

He reiterated that the general election would be held next year.

Labour leader Alfred Sant said these elections had confirmed the people's wish for change. People were fed up with the incompetence of the Nationalist government on both a local and national level, he maintained.

AD chairman Harry Vassallo expressed satisfaction at the result obtained by his party.

Outcome at a glance

• The Labour Party wins an absolute majority of 53.2 per cent of the vote to the Nationalist Party's 43.9 per cent.

• The turnout was 68 per cent, down from 82 per cent in 2004 and 72 per cent in 2001.

• The PN has lost its majority to Labour on three councils, Xaghra, Gzira and Mosta.

• The MLP regained the Gzira council, which had passed to the PN in 2004.

• Alternattiva Demokratika contested seven localities and elected two councillors.

• Outgoing Floriana mayor Publio Agius was not re-elected. Outgoing Marsaxlokk mayor Edric Micallef lost his seat to Stephen Caruana by just two votes.

• Only one independent councillor Nigel Holland in Floriana was elected.

• Carmen Said was the only female mayor elected.