Sunday, March 11, 2007 The Malta Labour Party (MLP) wins this year’s round of local elections, in which the turnout was 68 per cent, which could have been higher perhaps had it not rained all day yesterday.

The Malta Labour Party wins an absolute majority of around 53 per cent and the Partit Nazzjonalista (Nationalist Party) 43 per cent, with the rest of the votes going to Alternattiva Demokratika (AD) and independent candidates.

In 2004, the last time elections were held in the same localities, the MLP won 50.2 per cent of the vote, with the Nationalists securing 46.4 per cent and AD 1.5 per cent.

The elections held in one-third of Maltese localities, in 22 localities out of 69 localities. These localities are 16 in the island of Malta: Birgu (Città Vittoriosa), Qormi (Città Pinto), Siggiewi (Città Ferdinand), Attard, Birzebbugia, Floriana, Gharghur, Gzira, Hamrun, Luqa, Marsaxlokk, Mosta, Paola, Safi, Santa Lucija, Swieqi, and in 6 localities on the island of Gozo: Kercem, Munxar, Qala, San Lawrenz, Xaghra, and Zebbug (Gozo). The largest locality in this round is Mosta and the smallest locality is San Lawrenz.

According to the Maltese Ministry for Justice and Home Affairs, local council elections are held every three years, on the second Saturday of March.