The people have spoken, and Malta now has itself another crop of parliamentarians ready to assume seats in Malta's 13th legislature. 

But while most of Malta's 180 electoral candidates walked out of the Naxxar counting hall with their MP dreams in tatters, a handful of unsuccessful candidates will still be calling themselves 'Onorevoli', thanks to the quirks of Malta's parliamentary system. 

That is the case for Nationalist Party veterans Carm Mifsud Bonnici and Frederick Azzopardi, who have secured the two additional seats handed to the PN to ensure proportional representation, by virtue of being the two PN candidates to come closest to being elected.

A number of other candidates could also join them in parliament through the back door. 

Which candidates have been elected in your district?

Malta's electoral system allows candidates to contest two districts, and political powerhouses who make it past the line in both must then give up their seat in one, ceding it to the candidate who gets most of their second preferences. 

That is likely to see familiar faces such as former ministers Edward Zammit Lewis, Manuel Mallia and George Pullicino back in parliament, alongside newcomers such as Rosianne Cutajar, David Thake and Ivan Bartolo. 

Labour beneficiaries 

Dr Zammit Lewis failed to charm voters in the 8th and 9th districts and must rely on either Edward Scicluna or Michael Falzon, both of whom won seats in two districts, forfeiting one.

The former Tourism Minister's cabinet colleague Dr Mallia also failed to get elected, and the renowned criminal lawyer will be hoping Mr Falzon cedes his 10th district seat, allowing him to return to parliament. 

Former minister Zammit Lewis and Mallia must both pin their reelection hopes on by-elections.

Chris Fearne was among the election's best-performing candidates, and the former Health Minister must now decide whether to cede his 3rd district seat, probably in favour of Jean Claude Micallef, or else drop the 4th district and allow Etienne Grech back into parliament. 

READ: Lack of female MPs leaves Malta in the gender equality doldrums

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat unsurprisingly smashed past district quotas in both the 2nd and 5th districts. Should he give up the former seat, it will be his OPM aide and resident blogger Glenn Bedingfield who benefits. Giving up his seat on the 5th could allow former PL president Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi to become an MP. 

Rosianne Cutajar could yet make her MP debut, while Deborah Schembri must hope for a casual-election helping hand if she is to return.

Silvio Schembri - elected in both the 6th and 7th districts - can help either Qormi mayor Rosianne Cutajar or Rabat Mayor Charles Azzopardi make it into parliament, while Evarist Bartolo could give up his seat in the 12th district to help Deborah Schembri regain hers. 

PN hopefuls

A number of electoral hopefuls continue to hold their breath among the Opposition's ranks, too. 

David Thake looks like a lock-in to assume a parliamentary seat: he was the PN's first runner-up in the 8th district and Therese Comodini Cachia's shock decision to remain in Strasbourg as an MEP has paved the way for his election. 

Veteran MP George Pullicino and first-time candidate David Thake both failed to make the cut, but could still feature among PN MPs.

The 8th district could also see Justin Schembri elected, with both Beppe Fenech Adami and David Agius having the luxury of dropping one of their two elected seats. 

Should Dr Fenech Adami opt to drop his 7th district seat, former PN financial controller Antoine Borg will be popping the champagne. Similarly, Ivan Bartolo will be hoping either David Agius or Simon Busuttil decide to forfeit their 11th district seats, with his namesake also featuring as first runner-up in the 9th district. 

Justin Schembri (left) and Antoine Borg (right) are still in contention for an MP spot.

If outgoing PN leader Simon Busuttil instead decides to forgo his 12th district seat, it will either benefit David Thake or St Paul's Bay mayor Graziella Galea. 

Robert Arrigo, elected in both the 9th and 10th districts, could toss a lifeline to veteran politician George Pullicino, who was muscled out by PD leader Marlene Farrugia in the 10th district race. 

Marthese Portelli must decide which of her 9th and 13th district seats to hold on to. Entrepreneur Ivan Bartolo is first in line in the former followed by Noel Muscat, and with Fredrick Azzopardi catapulted into parliament thanks to a proportional representation amendment, lawyer and Xagħra councillor Kevin Cutajar could find himself with a parliamentary seat of his own. 

Of course, none of this is a certainty. While coming close to being elected helps in casual elections, ultimately it is the second preferences given to the elected MPs which count. 

Ivan Bartolo might yet make it; Kevin Cutajar has been helped by Frederick Azzopardi's strong showing.