Opposition leader Simon Busuttil said today the PN was very satisfied with the council election results as they showed that hard work was paying off and the party was regaining the people's confidence. 

"We are back in business," he said, adding that the results were hugely encouraging.

"Today has seen a turnaround in the support to Joseph Muscat. Joseph Muscat is no longer invincible," Dr Busuttil told a press conference.

Dr Busuttil observed that the PN had registered a substantial increase in votes and cut the deficit to the PL by half.

In 2012, when the same elections were last held, the PL had won 57% of the vote to 40% for the PN. Now the PN would have almost 45% of the votes to under 54% for Labour, meaning the deficit was cut by half, Dr Busuttil said.
He said the result had undoubtedly surprised many people.

This, he said, was the result of hard work by the PN, which had insisted it wanted to make a difference, and had succeeded. 

He said the PN still had a lot to do. It needed to continue to work with the people but the result showed it was on the right track.

PN deputy leader Mario de Marco, speaking at the counting hall, said the PN would keep its feet on the ground. It had made a difference and would continue to make a difference, he said to cheering and singing of Nazzjonalisti, Nazzjonalisti.

PN general secretary Chris Said said this was a very important result. "We have made an important step forward."

He said the PN had started off from a gap of 17% in the same elections in 2012 and that was now down to just under 10%.

He noted that much of the swing for the PN was in the south of Malta.

He said the PN made gains in Mosta and would win a majority there. It had substantially narrowed the 500-vote deficit it suffered in St Paul's Bay but it was not yet known whether it would win that council.