Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1110343
14 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 28 APRIL 2019 NEWS LOCAL COUNCILS 2019 Labour's deep south, and the PN's uphill battle The Labour Party draws its strength from blood-red strongholds in the south in contrast to the Nationalists' few pockets of deep blue localities, showing the staying power Labour has at a local level A swathe of dark red across all southern localities provides the backbone for the Labour Party's strength across the is- land, colour charts reveal. The party registered 60% or more of the vote in 25 towns and villages in the last round of local elections, 20 of them in the south. This stands in deep contrast with a few pockets of dark blue for the Nationalist Party. The PN only managed to obtain 60% or more of the vote in just 10 localities, none of them in the south. The electoral maps being produced here paint a clear- er picture of the respective strength the two major parties enjoy across the 68 local coun- cils. The results are based on the votes obtained in the last local elections held in 2013 and 2015. The strength of the PL in the south is uncontested with the party enjoying strong sup- port in large localities such as Żabbar, Marsaskala, Żurrieq, Birżebbuġa and Żejtun. It also enjoys strong support in the Gozitan localities of Sannat, Xewkija and Qala. The PN's strongest support can be found in the large lo- calities of Sliema, St Julians, Swieqi and Attard, and the smaller villages of Balzan and Lija, in Malta. It also enjoys support in ex- cess of 60% in four Gozitan localities: Rabat and the minis- cule localities of San Lawrenz, Fontana and Għarb. The combined population coverage of the PL's dark red localities is by far larger than that of the PN's dark blue. The maps confirm the pat- tern that has been observed since the 2013 general elec- tion, showing the PL consoli- dating its grip on the south and making inroads in traditional Nationalist districts. They also show how the PN has retreat- ed from the south, which is al- so evident by fewer candidates it has fielded for the upcoming council elections. Next month's elections will be the first time that all 68 councils go to the polls togeth- er after the law was changed. The PL has fielded 402 can- didates, 27 more than it did in the last rounds, while the PN has fielded 299 candidates, 46 less. Alternattiva Demokratika has fielded nine candidates, one less than last time, while the Democratic Party will be contesting local elections for the first time with seven can- didates. The Maltese Patriots Move- ment will field five candidates, while 16 candidates will run as independents. 0-40% 41-60% Over 61% 0-40% 41-60% Over 61% Distribution of votes for Labour Party inside local councils shows typical concentration in southern villages, and a very competitive presence in the rest of the island except for traditional PN strongolds such as the 10th district towns of Sliema and St Julian's The Nationalist Party occupies more influence inside northern areas, and in its traditional strongholds of middle- class villages such as Lija and Balzan, Sliema, St Julian's and Swieqi. But it has clearly lost the south KURT SANSONE The strength of the PL in the south is uncontested with the party enjoying strong support in large localities such as Zabbar, Marsaskala, Zurrieq, Birzebbuga and Zejtun. It also enjoys strong support in the Gozitan localities of Sannat, Xewkija and Qala