The Nationalist Party is “halfway there” in its efforts to again become the people’s party it has always been, Opposition leader Simon Busuttil said yesterday.

The results obtained in the latest round of local council elections showed that not only was the party back in business but proved it was “an alternative government”, Dr Busuttil said.

Both major political parties have claimed victory: Labour won 54 per cent of the votes, as opposed to the PN’s 45 per cent.

“We have managed to narrow the gap by half in practically a year. Can you imagine what we will achieve in the three years to the next general election?” he said.

“It was an uphill struggle... against all odds – and achieved despite the scaremongering, the continuous personal attacks, the mud-slinging. But we’re halfway up the hill. We are halfway through the marathon, and we will see it to the end,” Dr Busuttil said.

He was speaking at an unusually packed Sunday morning political event in Siġġiewi, just 45 minutes after a 28-hour excruciating vote-counting process had handed the St Paul’s Bay local council back to the PN.

We’re halfway up the hill. We are halfway through the marathon and we will see it to the end

Often interrupted with chants of “Simon, Simon”, Dr Busuttil said there were many who had doubts about how far the PN could get, adding that the party could make a difference, given these results.

“We have seen a substantial increase in votes in two-thirds of the localities and we have won nine more seats in councils,” he said. Even in the south, the PN gained ground in predominantly Labour localities, he noted, as those present cheered, shouting “Nazzjonalisti, Nazzjonalisti”.

He added that the PN was determined to become the party of the south.

Turning to Gozo, where the PN fared quite badly, also owing to the high turnout for the spring hunting referendum held on April 11, together with the local elections, Dr Busuttil said the party had to address the matter.

“We have heard the message of the Gozitan people but I can assure you we will not lose hope. The PN never gives walkovers. We always play to win and this result fills us with energy, enthusiasm, courage and motivation,” he said.

“We will no longer be only an Opposition but also an alternative government, a credible alternative to the current government,” Dr Busuttil said.

He spoke of the need to continue renewing the party and said fresh ideas to do so would be announced in the coming weeks.