[WATCH] Casual elections: PN elect five new MPs, Jason Azzopardi does not make it to the House

The Nationalist Party elected seven MPs to the House during Tuesday’s casual elections.

Five new faces made to the House - Rebekah Cilia, Stanley Zammit, Graham Bencini, Charles Azzopardi and Graziella Attard Previ. Incumbents Karol Aquilina and Carm Mifsud Bonnici were also elected.

Casual elections were underway at the Naxxar counting hall to fill seven vacat parliamentary seats given up by dual-candidacy Nationalist MPs.

There were 48 nominations to fill vacant seats on the 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th and 10th districts. On the 7th and 9th districts, two casual elections were held.

The casual election process started at 9am and took less than an hour given the new electronic counting system.

Seventh district MP Rebekah Cilia (Photo: James Bianchi)

The candidates included MPs from the last legislature, who failed to get elected on their own steam such as Karol Aquilina, Jason Azzopardi, Edwin Vassallo, Karl Gouder and Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici.

Fifth district MP Stanley Zammit (Photo: James Bianchi)

In the first election of the day, candidate Rebekah Cilia was elected on the seventh district for the seat vacated by MP Adrian Delia. Rebekah Cilia is a newcomer on the district.

On the fifth district vacated by leader Bernard Grech, Stanley Zammit was elected in the casual election.

10th district MP Graham Bencini (Photo: James Bianchi)

Graham Bencini was elected on the 10th district MP Graham Bencini . The district was vacated by Mark Anthony Sammut.

On the ninth district, incumbent MP, and one of the most controversial figures inside the PN Karol Aquilina was elected. The district was vacated by Robert Arrigo.

Seventh district MP Charles Azzopardi

Former Labour mayor Charles Azzopardi was also elected on the seventh district, on the seat vacated by Ryan Callus. Stalwart Edwin Vassallo will not be elected to the House.

On the second ninth district seat vacated by Joe Giglio, Sliema mayor Graziella Attard Previ was elected. This means candidate Jason Azzopardi will not be elected to the House.

Karl Gouder also failed to get elected during the casual elections.

In the last casual election of the day, Carm Mifsud Bonnici was elected on the third district seat vacated by Stephen Spiteri.

The PN statute stipulates that dual-candidacy MPs have to give up the district on which they have the lowest share of first count votes as a percentage of the respective district quota. This system removes any interference by the party in deciding which seats MPs have to give up.

Casual elections line-up

3rd District seat – seat vacated by Stephen Spiteri

Nominations: John Baptist Camilleri, Errol Cutajar, Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici, Mary Muscat and Leone Sciberras

5th District – seat vacated by Bernard Grech

Nominations: Stefan Caruana, Francine Farrugia, Owen Sciberras and Stanley Zammit

7th District – seat vacated by Ryan Callus

Nominations: Charles Azzopardi, Rebekah-Ann Cilia, Anthony Mifsud, Alessia Psaila Zammit, Edwin Vassallo and Josephine Xuereb

7th District – seat vacated by Adrian Delia

Nominations: Charles Azzopardi, Rebekah-Ann Cilia, Anthony Mifsud, Alessia Psaila Zammit, Edwin Vassallo and Josephine Xuereb

9th District – seats vacated by Robert Arrigo

Nominations: Karol Aquilina, Graziella Attard Previ, Jason Azzopardi, Graham Bencini, Eve Borg Bonello, Albert Buttigieg, Karl Gouder, Noel Muscat, Emma Portelli Bonnici and Charles Selvaggi

9th District – seats vacated by Joe Giglio

Nominations: Karol Aquilina, Graziella Attard Previ, Jason Azzopardi, Graham Bencini, Eve Borg Bonello, Albert Buttigieg, Karl Gouder, Noel Muscat, Emma Portelli Bonnici and Charles Selvaggi

10th District – seat vacated by Mark Anthony Sammut

Nominations: Karol Aquilina, Graziella Attard Previ, Graham Bencini, Eve Borg Bonello, Albert Buttigieg, Karl Gouder and Emma Portelli Bonnici