Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1110343
15 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 28 APRIL 2019 NEWS LOCAL COUNCILS 2019 Tight races MELLIEHA ST PAUL'S BAY MOSTA BIRKIRKARA SAN GWANN MSIDA PIETÀ MTARFA VALLETTA NADUR 5-20pp + PL 20pp + PL 20pp + PN 5-20pp + PN 0-5pp +PL 0-5pp +PN Map shows scale of majorities held by Labour and Nationalist parties in terms of percentage point differences: tight races are in those localities where both parties are only separated by five percentage points Candidates contesting local council elections 2019 Candidates Change on last elections PL 402 27 PN 299 -46 AD 9 -1 PD 7 NA MPM 5 NA Ind. 16 3 Localities with… More Fewer No change candidates candidates PL 30 20 18 PN 8 33 27 INFOGRAPHIC BY YANNICK PACE CLOSE contests are expected in 10 locali- ties, including Valletta, when council elec- tions are held next month, a MaltaToday analysis shows. The 10 localities were won by a mere five- point difference between the two major parties in the last elections held in 2013 and 2015. They could go either way this time around. The battleground localities are Valletta, St Paul's Bay, Mosta and Nadur, which returned a PN majority, and Pieta, Msi- da, Birkirkara, San Ġwann, Mtarfa and Mellieħa, which were won by the PL. In Valletta, the PN won by 51.6% of the vote against the PL's 48.4%. Disaffection in the capital has given the PL hope that it could win the council this time around, which prompted the party to field popular One TV presenter Alfred Zammit. The St Paul's Bay local council was won by the PN but this seaside locality with an ever- changing population has a history of swing- ing between the two major parties. The PN won St Paul's Bay by a relative ma- jority of 47.7% against the PL's 46.9%, with Alternattiva Demokratika capturing 3.5%. The outgoing council was dogged by PN infighting and complaints from resi- dents over lack of cleanliness. The PL has a chance of winning the council back but the performance of candidates running for the Democratic Party, the Patriots and an inde- pendent could upset the applecart for the major parties. The PN had a more comfortable margin in Mosta where it won with 52.1% of the vote against the PL's 47.9%. There were occasions when Mosta swung to Labour but it is very probable that the PN will retain its majority. The fourth battleground locality with a PN majority is Nadur in Gozo. A National- ist stronghold for long, this locality only just returned a PN majority last time around when the party won 50.2% of the vote against Labour's 48.3% The PL has made significant inroads across Gozo and it is not at all impossible for it to capture Nadur. If it does win a ma- jority, it would deliver a hard blow to the PN in Gozo. Pieta shifted to the PL last time around when the party captured 51.9% of the vote against the PN's 48.1%. Labour is expected to hold on to its majority. However, in neighbouring Msida the PL could see its fortunes change. Having won this council by a thin majority of 50.3% against the PN's 49.7%, the PL's chances to retain this locality have been damaged after a former councillor who fell out with the party is now contesting as an independent. Msida has in the past returned a PN ma- jority and it could very well do the same this time around. Birkirkara will be one of the prized lo- calities Labour would not want to lose af- ter winning a wafer-thin majority of 50.4% against the PN's 49.6%. The PL may just cling on to its majority in this locality but much could depend on the performance of the candidates running for AD, PD and the Patriots. In San Ġwann, the PL won by 50.9% against the PN's 49.1% last time around. This council had in the past returned a PN majority and it could very well shift back in next month's election. Another swing locality held by the PL is Mellieħa. The PL won by 52.3% against the PN's 47.7% and may very well keep its ma- jority this time around. In the small locality of Mtarfa the PL edged past the PN with 50.1% against 49.9%. This election could result in another close call but it is very likely the PL will retain its ma- jority. The battleground localities The number crunchers in the Labour and Nationalist parties will have their eyes focussed on 10 localities which were won by a mere five points either way