Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/497863
Newspaper post Sex therapist Maria Ali 'Boys will not always be boys' 14-15 FIMBank p.l.c. is a licensed credit institution regulated by the Malta Financial Services Authority and listed on the Malta Stock Exchange. The Bank is a participant in the Depositor Compensation Scheme in Malta. Terms and conditions apply. 2132 2102 helpdesk@easisave.com www.easisave.com 2132 2102 2132 2102 No Hidden Fees or Bank Charges Easy, Flexible and Secure Visit our website, open your online bank account and start beneting from superior interest rates on your savings and xed term deposit accounts. 3 year: 3.00% 2 year: 2.85% 1 year: 2.50% Euro Fixed Term Deposit Minimum Deposit €1,000 Rates of interest are on a gross per annum basis Euro Savings Account Minimum Deposit €50 1.75 % YES!!! Tell Balzan Simon survives in Labour's 54% win Nationalists stay put as strong turnouts in towns that voted 'no' to spring hunting give PN increased vote counts, while making inroads in the south • Joseph Muscat is first prime minister to win local elections, thanks to onslaught in Gozo and big turnouts in hunters' heartlands JAMES DEBONO PRIME Minister Joseph Muscat clinched a ruling party's first ever mid-term test with 53.5% of the vote in the 2015 local elections, thanks to a veritable Labour vote tsunami in Gozo yesterday – 8.9% lower than the 17-point margin of 2012, but still convincing for a party in govern- ment. But with the exception of Gozo where the hunting lobby and the works-for-votes scandal weighed heavily on the elections, a number of southern Labour-leaning localities appeared to have cut Joseph Muscat down to size. The Nationalist Party narrowed the gap to a nine-point margin – enough to send its supporters in euphoric overdrive and leader Simon Busuttil claiming that his party is officially "back in business". But it lost Munxar in Gozo to Labour while gaining none of the localities lost in 2007, 2008 and 2012. And Labour also managed to win Floriana which had the only in- dependent mayor in the country. After having overstated its losses, fearing it would lose Siggiewi, the PN's prize was holding on to tra- ditional majorities and consolidat- ing its hold on Mosta, which it had re-won from Labour by a whisker in 2012, and which it won by a whisker in St Paul's Bay. The result revealed the strategic nature of Muscat's declarations in favour of spring hunting in Gozo, where the hunting community is widespread. PAGE 6 €1.40 YOUR FIRST READ AND FIRST CLICK OF THE DAY WWW.MALTATODAY.COM.MT SUNDAY • 19 APRIL 2015 • ISSUE 806 • PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY maltatoday Labour wins big in Gozo THE PN's 56% majority in seven Gozitan localities yesterday evap- orated as Labour gained five per- centage points over 2012 results, while independents garnered another two points over the last round of elections. The increase in turnout in Gozo saw both major parties increase their vote, the PN by 481 but La- bour by 2,049, showing that the increase in the referendum turnout benefited Labour. In Nadur the PN's vote plum- meted from 58.4% to 50%, and the gap reduced from 16 points to a mere one point. In Munxar, where the PL won a majority for the first time, Labour saw its support rise from 40.5% to 53%. In Qala the PL saw its majority shoot up from 50.3% to 62%. The PN was also penalised by the strong result of an independ- ent candidate in Ghajnsielem, who won 13%. San Lawrenz was the only locality where Labour lost votes. In this tiny community the PL's actual vote dropped from 139 (31%) to 115 (25%). It's alright for Simon Busuttil as his party stays afloat despite Labour's resounding victory 2015 LOCAL COUNCIL ELECTIONS See pages 3-7, back page PL PN IND AD 0.94% 0.9% [934] [900] 54.5% 54,127 votes 43.6%• 43,341 votes Let's celebrate! Simon Busuttil yesterday greeted PN counting agents in Naxxar after his party's loss turned out to be a face-saver for the embattled leader. Photo: Chris Mangion BILL ODDIE Comedian whose love for nature brought him to Malta, speaks out on spring hunting INTERVIEW PG 14-15 PITKALI vs GALDES Is it time up for Malta's agricultural middlemen? PAGE 12 Malta's water crisis PAGE 11