The Labour Party's national electoral victory has been reflected in local elections, where the party obtained more than 56 per cent of the votes cast.
Council elections were held in 33 localities covering half of Malta and Gozo last Saturday and votes are currently being counted at the Naxxar counting hall. 23 of the localities were won by the PL.
But although the Nationalist Party lost votes and a number of councils, it will be regaining a seat in Sliema, where the current mayor Anthony Chircop, had an extremely good showing obtaining 2,231 first count votes.
AD's Michael Briguglio is also set to be reelected, having obtained 727 first count votes, the biggest number of votes the Green Party ever received from Sliema.
The counting process is being slowed down by recounts, which the Nationalist Party is requesting.
Most of the requests are in localities falling under the eight and 13th districts, the two districts the party lost for a handful of votes in the general election. The PN had filed court applications requesting requests in both localities but the party's requests were denied.
Twelve recounts had been requested by 3pm, all by the PN.
The elected candidates so far are:
Ghasri (closed): Joseph Farrugia and Frank Formosa, PL, and Daniel Attard, Emanuel Mintoff and Maria Alexandra Mifsud, PN.
Fontana (closed): Saviour Borg, Victor Cefai and Carmel Farrugia PN, and Horace Micallef and Mario Mercieca, PL.
Gharb (closed): Emmanuel Muscat and Maria Lisa Brooke, PL and David Agius Apap, Louis Apap and Carmen Vella, PN.
Sannat (closed): Philip Vella, Frances Galea and Maria Cassar Sultana and Margaret Said, PL and Joseph Bajada, PN.
Xghajra (closed): Anthony Valvo, Neil Attard, Antonia Buttigeg and Joseph Azzopardi, PL, and Doris Borg, PN.
Ta Xbiex (closed): Max Zammit, Antoinette Vassallo and Ronald Portelli, PL and Anthony Cachia Castelletti and Eugenio Muscat, PN.
Kalkara (closed): Speranza Chircop, Christopher Bruno, Vincent Bongailas and Paul Bongailas, PL and Maria Sultana, PN.
Gudja (closed): John Mary Calleja, Romeo Baldacchino and Demelsa Grech, PL and Mark Anthony Sammut and Stefan Caruana PN.
Mqabba (closed): Nicholas Briffa, Charlene Zammit and Mary Grace Mallia, PL and Noel Galea and Michelle Farrugia, PN.
Qrendi (closed): David Schembri, Olympia Sant and Carmel Zerafa, PL, Daniel Farrugia and Daniela Farrugia, PN.
Pieta (closed): Keith Tanti, Anthony Camilleri and Josephine Fabri, PL and Annhelica Agius and Josef Antoine Fitzpatrick, PN.
Pembroke (closed): Dean Hili, Mark Causon and Raymond Lanzon, PL and Evelyn Vella Brincat and Charles Cesare, PN.
Lija (closed): Ian Castaldi Paris, Mary Magdalen Magri and Stephanie Cutajar, PN and Lorraine Farrugia and Marc Sant.
Ghaxaq (closed): Darren Abela, Keith Mario Fenech, Marianne Schembri and Emanuel Vassallo for the PL and Rose Agius, PN.
Mgarr (closed): Clayton Gauci and Elizabeth Ebejer, PL and Paul Vella, Eman Vella and Mario Sammut, PN.
Mtarfa (closed): Simon Paul Fenech, Anthony Mifsud PN and Daniel John Attard, Anthony Bugeja and Antoine Vella, PL.
Cospicua: Alison Zerafa, Ivan Agius, Pablo Cachia Belli and Noyah Spiteri, PL and James Cauchi, PN.
Rabat: Charles Azzopardi, Dolores Coleiro, PL and Antoine Borg and Nazju Cassar, PN.
Valletta: Alexei Dingli and Christian Darren Micallef, PN, and Norman Shaw for the PL.
Tarxien: Joseph Abela, Paul Farrugia, Francis Agius and Keith Darmanin, PL and Lawrence Bonavia, PN.
Xewkija: Paul Azzopardi, Monica Vella and George Zammit, PL and Jeanelle Attard, PN.
Msida: Alan Abela Wadge, Matthew Agius and Charles Selvaggi, PN, Margaret Cefai Baldacchino and Alexander Sciberras, PL.
Zejtun: Joe Attard, Maria Dolores Abela, Joanne Agius and Stephania Fenech, PL and Raymond Caruana, PN.
Zabbar: Quinton Scerri and Domenic Agius PL and Joseph Buttigieg, PN.
Marsascala: Mario Calleja, Desiree Attard and Carmelo Mifsud, PL and John Baptist Camilleri, PN.
Fgura: Byron Camilleri, PL and Charles Bonello, PN.
Naxxar: Clifford Galea, PL and Maria Deguara, PN.
Sta Venera: Stephen Sultana, PL.
Birkirkara: Michael Fenech Adami, PN and Joanne Debono Grech and Rita Borg, PL.
Sliema: Anthony Chircop, Chris Busietta and Vivienne Galea Pace, PN and Lisa Cassar and Marianne Aquilina, PL, Michael Briguglio, AD.
Mellieha: Clayton Bartolo and John Buttigieg, PL, Robert Cutajar, Emvin Bartolo and Hilary Fenech, PN.
San Gwann: Rita Saliba, PL and Marica Bayliss and Etienne Bonello du Puis, PN.
Victoria: Joseph deBrincat, PL and Samuel Azzopardi, Josef Schembri and Maria Portelli, PN.