[WATCH] Joseph Muscat proud of PL's first ever lead of Valletta local council

Valletta's local council has gone the way of Labour; this was confirmed by Prime Minister Joseph Muscat in a tweet. 

"So proud that PL will for the first time ever lead the local council of our capital city," Muscat wrote on Twitter.

So proud that @PL_Malta will for the first time ever lead the local council of our capital city #Valletta -JM

— Joseph Muscat (@JosephMuscat_JM) May 29, 2019

Since its inception 25 years ago, the Valletta local council has never enjoyed a Labour majority. This means that Wednesday's Labour win here is a historic victory for PL. 

Alfred Zammit, ONE TV presenter, will be Valletta's new Mayor after a hard-fought battle with PL popular candidate Ray Azzopardi. The difference between them was of a few votes.

In comments to MaltaToday, Zammit said he dedicated his win to his mother who passed away in January of 2018. 

Tourism Minister Konrad Mizzi embracing Alfred Zammit who will be the first PL Mayor in Valletta

"We know how hard the Labour government worked in Valletta as it transformed from a dead city to a lively one, a city that is sought not just by tourists but by Maltese families as well," he said.

Turnouts had already indicated that a Labour win in Valletta could be a possibility since a 19-drop in turnout from 2013 had been registered in the capital. 

In 2013, the PN had won the local council by a slim majority, 51.6% to PL's 48.4%. Valletta was won by the PN with just 150 votes.

The Naxxar counting hall is once again abuzz as party agents now tally the local council election votes in 27 localities across Malta and Gozo. All eyes will be on the rest of the neck-and-neck localities, namely St Paul's Bay, St Julian's and Nadur. 

Localities which will be decided today are: Birzebbuga, Ghajnsielem, Dingli, Balzan, Tarxien, Zebbug, Valletta, Fontana, Marsa, Mellieha, Qrendi, Nadur, Xewkija, Zejtun, Zurrieq, Ghasri, Iklin, Imqabba, Pembroke, St Julian’s, St Paul’s Bay, St Venera, and Ta’ Xbiex.