Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1219206
16 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 8 MARCH 2020 NEWS Il-Festival tal-Ktieb fuq il-Kampus L-Università 25 u 26 ta' Marzu 9am–4pm 27 ta' Marzu 9am–tard Kotba, taħditiet, seminars, gruppi ta' ħidma u aktar! A very international list of candidates are taking on the small French municipal- ity of Guémené in its 2020 elections: it's the Ensemble pour Guémené (together for Guémené), led by for- mer Alternattiva Demokra- tika member Henrik Piski. His wife, Maltese national Jeannette Piski-Grech, is also on the list. Together with French and two Dutch candidates, they are lead- ing a small revolution in the Breton village by taking on a list of candidates led by incumbent mayor René Le Moullec. Piski's recipe for the village is already shak- ing things up: he says there will be two co-mayors, and will involve the population on decision-making. French councils' decision-making handles vast budgets on be- half of the State. "We want to upset the old methods," Piski told Ouest-France. "The candidates refused to pose for the traditional group photo," he says of a photo of the motley collec- tion of Guémené residents trying to take the council. "The Guémenois see this as sign of openness that is also timely: there are many Eng- lish residents here, but with Brexit, they no longer have the right to vote, only to pay taxes," Piski said. Former AD member takes on French municipality Henrik Piski (third from left) in his Guémené organic produce store, with fellow candidates FIVE candidates have submitted in their nominations for the parliamen- tary seat vacated by former National- ist Party MP Simon Busuttil. The five candidates will be seeking election on the Twelfth District, af- ter Busuttil resigned his seat to take up the post of European Peo- ple's Party secretary general. Vying to take Busuttil's seat are former radio presenter Da- vid Thake, ex-St Paul's Bay mayor Graziella Galea, former Floriana coun- cillor Edward Torpiano, Sam Abela and Simone Aquilina. Abela is the son of former PN parliamentary secretary Tony Abela. Another six candidates have sub- mitted their nominations to replace Marthese Portelli, who resigned in February, on the Ninth District. The candidates are Alan Abela Wadge, businessman Ivan Bartolo, St Julian's mayor Albert Buttigieg, PN international secretary general Roselyn Borg Knight, Swieqi mayor Noel Muscat, Sliema deputy mayor Graziella Attard Previ and Charles Selvaggi. The casual election to replace Busuttil and Portelli will be held on 10 March, with the time for nomi- nation submissions having closed today. Casual elections for PN seats: 12 candidates Simon Busuttil will be taking up a post as secretary- general of the European People's Party in Brussels