A Labour councillor in Birkikara has ditched his party and will run as an independent in June's elections. 

Kaylocke Buhagiar made the announcement on Facebook, saying "now is the time to do it together". 

"The moment has come to lift our Birkirkara up again," he said. "We cannot be content with our achievements so far, but we need positive energy that through determination doesn't differentiate, to carry out a sustainable plan that strengthens Birkirkara."

His slogan is: "A vision we will achieve together". 

Buhagiar received 329 votes on the first count in 2019's local elections and was elected on the tenth count, coming in behind four other Labour colleagues. 

Labour won 52.2% of the vote in the locality and of its 13 seats, seven were taken by Labour and six by the Nationalist party.

Buhagiar told his followers he would be "asking for your trust again this time as an independent candidate", describing the move as "not just my dream". 

Both main political parties have been struggling to recruit candidates for the upcoming local elections on June 8.

Times of Malta reported last year how both PL and PN were encountering serious demotivation and apathy.

However the elections are typically dominated by the two main parties with independent candidates rarely making any inroads. 

In the 2019 poll, independent councillors accounted for 0.9% of the vote. 

There was one standout success, however, with independent candidate Steve Zammit Lupi being elected on the first count in Haz-Żebbuġ with 971 votes, accounting for 12.4% of the vote. 

Zammit Lupi endorsed his fellow independent candidate and wished him good luck. 

"Anyone who has a heart for the location of Birkirkara is encouraged to give his first preference to Kaylocke. This man really loves the village and understands the need of the locality," he said.