District 11 profile: Where the PN seeks to continue its strong run

District 11 comprises Attard and Mosta, following the removal of Mdina and Burmarrad. Jacob Borg focuses on the ‘new look’ district. Read all the district profiles here.

The Nationalist Party (PN) enjoyed an 11-percentage point lead over Labour (PL) in the 2022 election on district 11, a far cry from the result at national level, which saw Labour win by 39,500 votes (13 percentage points).

District 11 takes on a new look for this election, as both Mdina and Burmarrad have been hived off to other areas, leaving just Attard and the densely populated Mosta.

Much like in previous years, Mosta continues to suffer from a lack of parking and heavy traffic flows to the ire of residents, who vent their frustration with candidates during house visits.

Development pressures and rising costs are also issues faced by residents.

The PN will be hoping to put on another strong showing in this central district, with a firm eye on consolidating its three-seat majority.

PN missing ‘a vote magnet’

For the first time in two elections, a sitting PN leader will not be acting as a vote magnet on the district.

In both 2017 and 2022, then PN leaders Simon Busuttil and Bernard Grech attracted 11,266 and 9,450 first count votes respectively, leaving every other candidate trailing in their wake.

Grech will again be contesting on the district, however, party insiders do not necessarily view him as their lead candidate.

Further space has opened up on the district due to the absence of David Agius, who has called time on his parliamentary career. Agius, a former PN deputy leader and whip, served in parliament for over 20 years.

Ivan Bartolo, a former Mosta mayor, is expected to put on a strong showing for the PN.

The party’s spokesperson for affordable housing, poverty and loneliness, Bartolo is well known for his on-the-ground work at district level, having even run a foodbank from his Mosta home.

Dione Borg, a NET TV journalist, has been pegged as one to watch by party insiders.

“He is literally inside everybody’s home,” one insider quipped, in reference to Borg’s mainstay role on the party’s television platform.

Joseph Grech will also “be giving it a shot” in the hope of clinching the PN’s third seat on the district. Grech will be aiming for a better result this time round, having failed to make the cut in 2022.

The other two PN candidates vying for votes on the district are Rebekah Borg, who also failed to get elected from the district in 2022, and lawyer Edmond Cuschieri, a Labour voter turned Nationalist hopeful.

Labour has veterans and fresh blood

On the Labour side, Energy Minister Miriam Dalli will be seeking to replicate her performance in 2022 as the party’s lead candidate, although the 11th district is not viewed as her main stomping ground.

Last time out, she resigned her seat on the 11th, opening up a path for Romilda Baldacchino Zarb, another former Mosta mayor, to make it to parliament via a casual election.

Party insiders will be keeping a close eye on Dalli’s first counts, for any signs of discontent at her role as energy minister. While under Dalli’s watch, Malta has been “shielded” from rising energy costs thanks to generous subsidies, two successive summers of widespread power cuts remain imprinted on people’s mind.

The district will also see a rematch between Anthony Agius Decelis and Labour backbencher Alex Muscat.

Although Agius Decelis managed 2,393 first count votes to Muscat’s 2,258, he ultimately lost his seat in parliament when Muscat inched through on inherited votes.

Party insiders note that the rematch comes with a new dynamic this time round as both men head into the election with “diminished” powers compared to 2022. Agius Decelis has been out of parliament for four years, while Muscat was relegated to the backbenchers throughout this legislature.

During the lead up to the 2022 election, Muscat was noted for using his power of incumbency as the parliamentary secretary responsible for the multimillion-euro passports fund to target spending in his district.

Apart from the four district veterans, the party is also injecting some fresh blood in the form of Francesca Zarb, a 31-year-old lawyer who will be contesting her first general election.

On the non-PL/PN front, election veteran Carmel Cacopardo will be bearing the flag for ADPD, while Momentum will be fielding their general secretary, Mark Camilleri Gambin.

Anti-immigration party Aħwa Maltin will be placing their hopes in Simon Elmer.

Who are the candidates?

ADPD: Cacopardo Carmel.

Aħwa Maltin: Elmer Simon.

Labour Party: Agius Decelis Anthony, Dalli Miriam, Muscat Alex, Zarb Francesca, Zarb Romilda.

Momentum: Camilleri-Gambin Mark.

Nationalist Party: Bartolo Ivan, Borg Rebekah, Borg Spiridione (Dione), Cuschieri Edmond, Grech Bernard, Grech Joseph Mark.