Malta’s Casual Election Race Is On: Find Out Which Unelected Candidates Could Still Become MPs
The Labour Party might have stormed to a record-breaking landslide election victory but the race isn’t over with casual elections set to determine the final list of Malta’s MPs.
Countless candidates managed to get elected in two districts, an impressive result for them that gives hope to many other contestants who failed to make the cut.
It’s going to be a nail-biting affair after several big names missed out on getting elected after the first round of counting, with casual elections set to take place in roughly two weeks’ time.
Casual elections depend entirely on the preference votes of the elected candidate leaving the district and have conjured up surprises time and time again.
Unelected candidates have one week to announce their intention to contest the casual election. And while we don’t know as yet which districts PL candidates will secede, the PN statute dictates that candidates must leave the seat in the district they received fewer votes.
Here’s a quick guide to the casual election race:
District 2:
A major casual election could be on the cards in the Labour Party’s stronghold after Prime Minister Robert Abela and his right-hand man Finance Minister Clyde Caruana got elected off multiple districts.
And while we’re unsure whether either of the men will be willing to give up their seats in a staunchly red area, there are countless candidates waiting in the wings to steal a spot.
MPs Oliver Scicluna, Joe Mizzi and Glenn Bedingfield all missed out – and will be hoping for a favour from their party leader. Scicluna was already co-opted by Abela into parliament while Bedingfield also had to rely on a casual election in 2017.
However, they face a major challenge from James Grech who performed better than all three on the district. It is still too early to call with preference votes playing a major role.
District 3:
Two MPs could get elected through the casual election on the 3rd District. PN’s Stephen Spiteri must already give up his seat on the district after performing well on the 2nd, opening up a four-way battle for the spot.
Janice Chetcutti and John Baptist Camilleri would appear to be the front runners for the spot. But it is still all to play for with former MP Carm Mifsud Bonnici and Mary Muscat providing a stiff challenge.
For the PL, Chris Fearne might also vacate their seats on the 3rd, opening up the opportunity for Alicia Bugeja Said, who was the last unelected PL candidate to drop out of the race on the 22nd count.
Ray Abela appears to be her closest competition, while MP Jean Claude Micallef, who performed poorly in the election, will be hoping for a change in fortune.
District 4:
Fearne and Owen Bonnici were elected on the district, opening up the door for another major race. Oliver Scicluna was the closest rival and looks likely to secure a seat through a casual election over here.
There are outside competitors. Katya De Giovanni performed well while Glenn Bedingfield and Amanda Spiteri Grech might eat up a lot of preference votes.
District 5:
We could see as many as four MPs elected via casual election on the 5th District. PN leader Bernard Grech must definitely give up his seat over here.
Stanley looks all but guaranteed to win the casual election for Grech’s seat, but could potentially face a stiff challenge from others.
Robert Abela, Miriam Dalli and Owen Bonnici could all vacate their seats on the district. However, the lack of stand out candidates means that it is unlikely.
Omar Farrugia performed the best out of the unelected candidates but Jean Claude Micallef and Joe Sammut will be hoping that the preference votes tip the balance in their favour.
District 6:
All eyes will be on Rosianne Cutajar in the casual election for the 6th District. Minister Ian Borg will not want to give up his seat on the 7th, opening up an interesting contest in the area.
Cutajar looks most likely to get elected through the casual election, as she had done in 2017. However, she does have a strong challenge from outside candidates like Malcolm Paul Agius Galea, Omar Farrugia and Katya De Giovanni.
Minister Silvio Schembri could also vacate his seat, even though it is his home district. He had done so in 2017, so might be reluctant to do it again this time around.
District 7:
Another battle for four seats could potentially be on the cards in the 7th District. Borg and Schembri also got elected here, so the PL will be examining each candidate list to see who would make the best MP.
Malcolm Paul Agius Galea, who also stands a chance of getting elected through a casual election on the 6th, is the front runner over here. But he still could face a significant challenge from Naomi Cachia.
PN’s Ryan Callus and Adrian Delia must both vacate their seats on the 7th District after receiving more votes elsewhere.
It’s presented a massive opportunity for candidates, particularly Rebekah Cilia, who was the best performing unelected candidate in her first-ever election campaign.
Charles Azzopardi also stands a real chance of winning a casual election seat. Edwin Vassallo is an outside shout but performed poorly in the area.
District 8:
What happens on the 8th District remains to be seen. Clyde Caruana was also elected here, but a weak candidate list means that he might reconsider.
Cressida Galea has been impressive on the campaign but will get elected through the gender corrective mechanism anyway. The only real contenders are Oliver De Gaetano and Felix Busuttil Galea, leaving the PL with a conundrum.
District 9:
Malta’s 9th District could be a potential four-seat battle. PN’s Joe Giglio and Robert Arrigo must give up their seats hereafter both receive more votes in the 10th District.
It’s presented a real major opportunity for big names. Eve Borg Bonello was the best performing unelected candidate, but she will need to compete with some significant party figures to win the casual election.
Jason Azzopardi is contesting there as is St Julian’s Mayor Albert Buttigieg and Swieqi Mayor Noel Muscat. Emma Portelli Bonnici is also an outside candidate to steal the seat.
For the PL, Clifton Grima and Michael Falzon got elected here and on the 10th. However, there is only one other unelected candidate contesting. Rebecca Buttigieg performed extremely well in the election but will be guaranteed a seat if one of the drops out.
District 10:
Rebecca Buttigieg can also get elected through a casual election over here. She is the front runner in the district after Evarist Bartolo said he was resigning from politics but there are chances for outsiders like Felix Busuttil Galea, Damian Spiteri and Dario Vella to swoop in and unexpectedly take an MP spot.
One of Falzon and Grima must definitely vacate their seat here since there is only one space available on the 9th. However, it remains to be seen how the PL will proceed.
Mark Anthony Sammut has also opened the race for the PN candidates on the 10th. However, this will every close to call with Eve Borg Bonello, Emma Portelli Bonnici, Albert Buttigieg, Noel Muscat, Graziella Attard Previ, Karol Aquilina and many others contesting.
District 11:
Miriam Dalli’s seat could be up for grabs if she chooses to keep her seat in the 5th District. If she does, Anthony Agius Decelis and Mosta Mayor Romilda Baldacchino Zarb will be the front runners for the seat, with Muscat the more likely of the two wins.
There are no casual elections in the 1st, 12th and 13th Districts.
Who do you think will win the casual elections?
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