Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/832512
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 4 JUNE 2017 2 News JURGEN BALZAN THE country's leaders were among the first to cast their vote as Malta went to the polls yesterday. By midday, President Marie- Louise Coleiro Preca and her hus- band Edgar had voted in Lija, while Prime Minister Joseph Muscat voted in Burmarrad and Opposi- tion leader Simon Busuttil in Lija. In Burmarrad, a bevy of report- ers, cameramen and photogra- phers accompanied Muscat and his wife Michelle into the polling station at around 10.20am when the couple posed for photos with the ballot sheet in their hands. As he and his wife stepped out of the polling station, Muscat stopped to say a brief word to the media. "Michelle and I have done our duty and voted. We urge eve- ryone to do the same," he said. As they left to walk back to their home, Muscat and his wife were warmly greeted by a number of neighbours and well-wishers. In Lija, Busuttil was accompa- nied by his partner Kristina Chet- cuti and his son Greg, where he was greeted by scores of eager sup- porters. In comments to the press after casting his vote, Busuttil thanked journalists for their work over the past weeks. "I came here to do my duty as a citizen of this country," he said. "Today is the nation's day, the day when the nation is sovereign and nobody other than the nation can decide. The only appeal I can make is for everyone to do their duty as citizens of this country. The key to the country is in the people's hands and its decision will be the last word, that is respected by everybody." Other leaders also voted, includ- ing Archbishop Charles Scicluna, Alternattiva Demokratika chair- person Arnold Cassola who voted in Pembroke whilst PD leader Marlene Farrugia, running on the PN ticket, was the first to cast her vote at 8am in Qrendi. She was accompanied by her partner and PD candidate, God- frey Farrugia, who waited outside the polling station. Cassola chatted briefly outside the polling station with fellow AD candidates Ralph Cassar and Car- mel Cacopardo before queuing with the rest of the public at Pem- broke primary school. Several polling stations reported a steady flow of voters as soon as the polling stations opened at 7am. A total of 224 candidates are Malta goes to the Take me to the nearest polling station: this blushing bride has some important pre-wedding matters to attend to... voting! Simon Busuttil out voting with his partner Kristina, and in other other photos Joseph and MIchelle Muscat, and AD chairpersons Arnold Cassola and Carmel Cacopardo A calm day of voting in Malta despite a bitter election campaign, but voter turnout has dropped to 91.9% - a possible sign of protest in the electorate