The Nationalist Party will be presenting more candidates than Labour in the local council elections but PN leader Simon Busuttil yesterday played down the party’s chances.

Labour, he said during the presentation of the party’s 185 candidates, enjoyed a majority in 20 out of 34 localities being contested on April 11. While he did not set any particular targets, Dr Busuttil focused on the Labour-led council of St Paul’s Bay, which the PN had lost for the first time in 2012.

He said a series of resignations including that of the mayor were testament to Labour’s poor track record in this northern locality.

On the other hand he praised the PN-led Mosta council, saying that it had carried out resurfacing works in 18 roads and embellished three gardens.

PN secretary general Chris Said noted that these elections would only be held thanks to the pressure piled by the Opposition against government plans to cancel them.

“The fact that nearly half of the PN’s candidates are contesting local elections for the first time is testament to the party’s efforts to regenerate itself,” Dr Said remarked.