European elections: PN’s only absolute majority was in the tenth district

The Nationalist Party could only muster majorities in four of the 13 electoral districts in Saturday’s European election, only surpassing the 50% mark in the tenth.

PN leader Adrian Delia
PN leader Adrian Delia

The major takeaways

  • The PL’s strong base in the south is accompanied by strong performances in other districts, giving the party nationwide support.
  • The PN’s strength has been contained to three districts north of Marsamxett Harbour, with a dismal performance in the south.
  • The Democratic Party scores best in traditional PN districts but has even support in all the rest.
  • The Lowell phenomenon is particularly evident in those districts where an influx of foreigners or resident migrants has resulted in problems of law and order.

The Nationalist Party could only muster majorities in four of the 13 electoral districts in Saturday’s European election, only surpassing the 50% mark in the tenth.

The district results paint a very bleak picture for the PN across Malta and Gozo, with the party getting another drubbing in the south.

The PN’s only absolute majority (52.8%) was obtained in the tenth district, the traditional hinterland of Sliema and St Julians. In this district, the Labour Party managed 38% of the vote.

And while the PN obtained relative majorities in the eighth, ninth and eleventh districts, it suffered crushing defeats in the first seven districts.

The PL obtained strong absolute majorities in each of the first seven districts, confirming the strength it enjoys in its traditional hinterland and beyond.

The PL’s best result was in the second district where it received the support of 70.2%, followed by the third district, where it registered 67.6%.

Across the south, the PN posted its lowest result in the second district (23.3%) and the highest (36.5%) in the seventh.

The PN suffered crushing defeats in the south in the 2013 and 2017 general elections and the latest EP results suggest the party has once again failed to reconnect with people in the area.

The PL almost clinched an absolute majority in Gozo, having obtained 49.7%. The PL ended six points ahead of the PN. The gap between the parties continued to increase from the last general election.

The PL also clinched the twelfth district with 46.4%, a two-point advantage over the PN. This district had returned a PN majority in the last general election.

The results show that the PD’s strongest showing was in the ninth and tenth, where it surpassed the 3% threshold. The PD’s weakest results - obtaining less than 2% - were in the first six districts and Gozo.

The information made available to MaltaToday groups the rest of the political parties and independent candidates together, however, the bulk of these votes belonged to Norman Lowell.

The strongest showing by other candidates was registered in the eleventh district with 6.9%. The 6% mark was also surpassed in third, fifth and twelfth districts.