The Nationalist Party has kept hold of its majority (3-2) in ?al Lija while Labour has kept its strong grip on Kalkara as the first results from the second day of counting for the local council elections start coming in.

Anthony Dalli is the new mayor ?al Lija, Wayne Aquilina will be the mayor of Kalkara.

Labour is currently leading with 60% vote share to the PN’s 36% after yesterday’s results, which saw the opposition lose the traditionally nationalist Valletta and St Paul’s Bay local councils but keep hold of St Julian’s.

Sliema, Msida, and San Gwann should all be exciting battlegrounds. The PN-strongholds have both seen a drop in turnout. However, both have sizeable foreign populations, which may have had an effect.

Birkirkara, which currently has a Labour majority, should also be closely contested with the PN hoping to recapture the town.

With regards to today’s elections, the Labour Party are guaranteed to keep hold of their majorities in ?al G?axaq, Fgura, Bormla, Kalkara, Xag?ra, Marsaxlokk, and Sannat after the PN failed to field enough candidates to secure a majority.

Another 23 towns and villages around Malta and Gozo will elect their local councils this evening, which are:

Birkirkara, Bormla, ?al G?axaq, ?al Lija, ?a?-?abbar, Fgura, Gudja, Kalkara, Rabat (both Gozo and Malta), Xag?ra, G?arb, M?arr, Msida, Marsaskala, Marsaxlokk, Paola, San ?wann, Ta’ Sannat, Pieta’ and Sliema.

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Julian Bonnici

Julian is the former editor of Lovin Malta and has a particular interest in politics, the environment, social issues, and human interest stories.