Beppe Fenech Adami and Mario de Marco were tonight elected the Nationalist Party's deputy leaders for party affairs and parliamentary affairs, respectively.

Dr Fenech Adami obtained 76 per cent of the votes cast (668) and Dr de Marco 96 per cent (840).

While Dr de Marco was uncontested, the post for party affairs was also being contested by Claudette Buttigieg, who received 211 votes. Eight votes in the party affairs election were invalid.

Paula Mifsud Bonnici retained her post as party president after she was reelected with 85 per cent (747) of the votes cast. She was contested by Louis Bonnici who garnered 133 votes. Seven votes were invalid.

Eight-hundred-and-ninety-four of the party's 912 councillors collected their voting document - 887 councillors cast their vote.

In an address after the result was officially announced, Dr de Marco said the PN must regain the people's respect by better understanding the aspirations of young people and help society shoulder its burdens.

Dr Fenech Adami said he took on the role with responsibility and a sense of love for party and country.

He appealed to young people - those who will vote for the first time in the next election- telling them that this was their party, where they could dream and launch ideas to make them reality.

Brief addresses were earlier delivered by Ms Buttigieg and Dr Mifsud Bonnici.

In a closing address, Dr Busuttil thanked the new deputy leaders and Ms Buttigieg, as well as Dr Mifsud Bonnici and Mr Bonnici.

He said the party would be discussing and analysing a report about the last election result during the party's next general council in two weeks' time. This council would project the party towards the future, he said.

Read more details in The Sunday Times of Malta.