The Nationalist Party yesterday presented its 76 candidates for next month's general election.

A third of the candidates will be contesting for the first time. The PN has 11 female candidates, with the most competitive race being in the ninth district with 15 candidates contesting.

Speaking during a press conference yesterday morning, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi expressed pride in the team which, he said, represents a mixture of people from different walks of life. The candidates represented the party's slogan for the election: Yes, Together Everything is Possible.

The word yes, he stressed, had a very important meaning, catapulting people back five years when they voted in favour of EU membership.

He wondered whether the people preferred a doubtful future or the optimism that his party represented. People should not put their trust in the PN only because of what the government had done over the past years but also because of the party's proposals. On the other hand, he said, in the first days of the electoral campaign, the Labour Party has put forth proposals that worried people.

Dr Gonzi denied claims that he was campaigning on his own, saying that ministers and other candidates were all working together. He did not see Labour leader Alfred Sant with a number of MPs, such as Joe Debono Grech or Marie Louise Coleiro Preca.

The candidates

First district
Paul Borg Olivier, Josianne Cardona
Gatt, Mario de Marco, Alexei Dingli,
Jean-Pierre Farrugia, Austin Gatt, Malcolm Mifsud, Paula Mifsud Bonnici, Edward Torpiano.

Second district
Frans Agius, Lawrence Gonzi, Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici, Stephen Spiteri.

Third district
Frans Agius, John Bonello, Janice Chetcuti, Franco Debono, Mario Galea, Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici.

Fourth district
Jason Azzopardi, Lawrence Bonavia, Caroline Galea, Jesmond Mugliett, Victor Scerri, Ivan Schembri.

Fifth district
Janice Chetcuti, Helen d'Amato, Franco Debono, Louis Galea, Noel Galea, Ivan Schembri, Ninu Zammit.

Sixth district
John Dalli, Louis Galea, Peter Micallef, Robert Musumeci, Clyde Puli, Ninu Zammit.

Seventh district
Tony Abela, David Agius, Emanuel Agius, Jacqueline Azzopardi, Joe Cassar, Joan Ann Farrugia Galea, Philip Mifsud, Robert Musumeci, Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando, David Vassallo, Edwin Vassallo.

Eighth district
Michael Asciak, Tonio Borg, Josianne Cardona Gatt, Ian Castaldi Paris, Martin Fenech, Tonio Fenech, Beppe Fenech Adami, Giorgio Schembri.

Ninth district
Robert Arrigo, Dolores Cristina, Joseph Falzon, Donald Felice, Michael Frendo, Franco Galea, Lawrence Gonzi, Karl Gouder, Noel Muscat, Pippo Psaila, George Pullicino, John M. Rizzo Naudi, Georg Sapiano, Charles Selvaggi, Francis Zammit Dimech.

Tenth district
Robert Arrigo, Paul Borg Olivier, Dolores Cristina, John Dalli, Joseph Falzon, Donald Felice, Michael Frendo, Franco Galea, Karl Gouder, Pippo Psaila, George Pullicino, Albert Rizzo, Francis Zammit Dimech.

Eleventh district
David Agius, Michael Asciak, Charlò Bonnici, Tonio Borg, Joe Cassar, Ian Castaldi Paris, Louis Deguara, Shirley Farrugia, Ċensu Galea, Michael Gonzi, Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando, Victor Scerri, Edwin Vassallo, John Zammit Montebello.

Twelfth district
Tony Abela, Robert Cutajar, Louis Deguara, Tonio Fenech, Martin Fenech, Ċensu Galea, Michael Gonzi.

Thirteenth district
Frederick Azzopardi, Paul Buttigieg, Giovanna Debono, Marthese Portelli, Christopher Said, Manuel Tabone, Robert Tabone.