The Labour Party won 54 percent of the votes cast for the local councils in 23 localities, PL deputy leader Toni Abela said this afternoon. He said the PN may have won 43 percent.
Dr Abela said this reflected the party's performance in the European elections.
The results also mean no change from the elections in the same localities three years ago.
Dr Abela regretted that the party appeared to have lost San Gwann council but praised the party's performance in Rabat Malta and gains also made in Gozo.
Dr Abela said matters appeared to be going well for the PL in Birkirkara.
PL officials said earlier that the PN appeared to have 49% of the vote in Birkirkara. The PL was on 48 percent, meaning that the outcome would depend on the transfer of the votes given to Alternattiva Demokratika.
In Sliema, the PN appeared to be making gains to the detriment of Alternattiva Demokratika and could reach 70% of the vote. In contrast, AD's Michael Briguglio could lose his seat.
Overall, the PN regained Pieta and San Gwann from the PL and also kept Mtarfa, which it gained nine months ago after the previous Labour council was dissolved. The PL held on to the bitterly contested Msida council and also kept Rabat, where the voters as seen as evenly matched.
PN General Secretary Paul Borg Olivier said the results showed that voters were voting according tot he context of the elections - in the EP elections they voted on European and national issues and in the local elections local issues clearly counted.
VOTE PERCENTAGES SO FAR
The percentage of the vote of the parties as compared to 2006:
Cospicua PL + 6.7% PN-0.7%
Gharb PL + 5.07% PN -17%
Ghaxaq PL +6% PN -6%
Gudja PL -2% PN+2%
Kalkara PL+3.5% PN -3.5%
Lija PL -4.2% PN+9.6%
Mdina PL+1% PN+11%
Mgarr PL+7% PN -7%
Mtarfa PL -16% PN +14.4%
Pieta PL -4% PN+4%
Sannat PL+4% PN+6.9%
Victoria PL-0.1% PN+ 0.1%
Xghajra PL -5% PN+5%
In some cases the changes were caused by the fact that independent candidates who took part in the elections three years ago did not feature this time.