Election Special Election PN MAJORITIES the SLIMMEST of WINS 159, Labour Avenue, Naxxar Tel: 2388 7939 0088, 2939 49.3% MLP M Altatoday.Co M
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election special BaD LOSER pG 5 mIssue 8 • Monday,alta 10 March 2008 • www.tMaltatoday.coodayM.Mt PrICE €0.50 / LM0.21 GONZI WINS WITH THE SLIMMEST OF MAJORITIES PN 49.3% MLP 48.9% MALTATODAY POLLS VINDICATED 159, Labour Avenue, Naxxar Tel: 2388 0088, 7939 2939 paper post News 2 election special | Monday 10 March 2008 news news Monday 10 March 2008 | election special 3 GENERAL GENERAL ELECTIONS 2008 ELECTIONS 2008 – minute for minute – minute for minute SATURDAY – 8 March 10:26 – A tense wait and see. Gonzi wins by narrowest of margins But Labour insiders told MT that 17:51 – Party leaders from all four they expect an 8,000 majority. political parties cast their vote on a Sorting is still under way and quiet voting day where no incidents RAPHAEL VASSALLO of 1966-1971. Although victori- party’s supporters out into the Naxxar. Acknowledging that counting is expected in 45 were reported, and a sense of ous, the PN has ironically also streets in a celebration which the election was too close to call, minutes’ time. A clear indication is business as usual prevailed in most emerged as the biggest individ- proved to be premature. As the Falzon stopped short of actu- expected at midday. Maltese towns and villages. The ual loser from the election, suf- day wore on, samples began to ally conceding defeat, even after tension was however perceptible THE Nationalist Party has won fering a significant drop of 4%: show a trend in favour of a PN Saliba had proclaimed victory. 11:19 – Labour supporters for among political activists of all the 2008 general election with a around 10,800 votes. come-back. Despite many ru- More significantly, he also said carcade in Birkirkara and other political parties. With over 5,000 localities. voting documents uncollected, slender majority of 1,200 votes, Nonetheless, last October’s mours to the contrary, it became would not rule out the possibil- party offi cials were trying very hard failing to achieve absolute ma- Constitutional amendments evident by early evening that ity of a recount. 12:15 – Owen Bonnici, a Labour to keep calm. The fi rst unconfi rmed jority with a total tally of 49.3%. guarantee Prime Minister Gonzi the Nationalist party was in fact The MLP-owned news por- candidate, tells MaltaToday that news was the arrest of two offi cials This makes the PN the first po- a parliamentary majority of a ahead. At one point, the lowest tal Maltastar.com had already his wife had given birth to a girl from MTA and MEPA over the litical party ever to win three single seat. It is therefore a dou- difference between the parties announced a PN victory; but on election day, but still visited Mistra saga, released on Maltastar. elections in a row. ble-edged victory, which leaves indicated by a single sample was soon afterwards, the story was the polling booth to vote. com but there was no independent The Malta Labour Party gained Dr Gonzi in a considerably just 30 votes. changed under the headline: confi rmation. just over 1% from its last election weakened position vis-à-vis his In the end it was only at 9.30pm “PN claims victory, Labour says 12:18 – Nationalist MP John Dalli tells MT the election is a touch 18:26 – Rumours that hunters result with 48.9%, while Alter- former five-seat majority. that PN secretary general Joe result still in the balance. and go affair and one must wait have deposited over 1,000 voting nattiva Demokratika obtained Yesterday’s results came af- Saliba told counting agents in At the time of going to print, and see.12:39 – Sorting starts, documents at the Nationalist HQ 1.5% - more than double its 2003 ter nine hours of counting and Naxxar that “all indications the MLP had still not officially tension runs high. prove to be untrue after MaltaToday showing, but not enough to scenes of high tension at the point towards a PN victory by commented on the election re- talks to PN offi cials. clinch a seat in parliament. Naxxar counting hall. Early into 1,200 votes.” By that point, Jason sult, claiming that it preferred 12:40 – Angelo Xuereb of Azzjoni This places Lawrence Gonzi at the proceedings, a smiling MLP Micallef had put on his invisibil- waiting for the official results to Nazzjonali tells MT, “our message 20:09 – Voting time is extended reached the people, so much to 2300hrs. It is believed at fi rst the helm of a minority govern- secretary general Jason Micallef ity cloak, and it was left to MLP be announced by the electoral ment: the first of its kind since hinted at an absolute majority deputy leader Michael Falzon commission. Nor had it request- so that the parties view us as a that it’s the Nationalists who have threat.” demanded an extension to the the Borg Olivier administration for Labour: a fact which sent the to face the Labour hopefuls at ed a recount. voting time. 12:44 – Jason Micallef tells MT that the Labour has strong 21:58 – The International Herald majority Tribune quotes MT journalist and survey coordinator James ‘I was seriously considering whether 13:09 – No news from counting Debono - “Some people say: ‘Well, hall, other than the large number there is the problem of the same of fi rst-count votes for party government, but is the opposition I should contest’ – Mugliett THERESE DEBONO leaders Lawrence Gonzi and better?’ Labour is more convincing Alfred Sant. on the count of corruption, while on issues like job creation, health JULIA FARRUGIA “Yes, I went through a very also I wanted to give my help so self, my family and the closest 13:16 – Austin Gatt and Mario De care the Nationalist Party is more difficult time. There was a that my party will be re-elected people around me.” Marco appear as frontrunners for convincing.” time when I was asking myself in government. These were the Mugliett also said that the PN in the 1st district. PHOTOGRAPHY BY OUTGOING minister Jesmond whether I should contest or two reasons that convinced me throughout the electoral cam- Scenes of jubilation outside the PN headquarters, and below, Joe Saliba at the heart of celebrations at the counting hall 22:08 – Unibet’s Lennart Ehlinger 13:21 – Party offi cials on 2nd tells MaltaToday: “This is the Mugliett revealed with Malta- not,” claimed Mugliett. to go for it,” Mugliett said. paign he noticed a positive Today yesterday that until a few “But then I said to myself that Mugliett ruled out the option turnout towards the PN, in- district careful about dubious fi rst time we’re taking bets on an votes - tension runs high. election in Malta. Of course, we’ve weeks before the election he was a minister needs to be account- that he had discussed his can- cluding Labourites whom he been offering bets on elections seriously considering whether able till the very end and I decid- didature within the Nationalist claimed had showed sympathy 13:34 – Labour is waiting for in other countries for a long he should contest or not. ed to contest the election. And Party. “I kept this between my- with him. the fi nal sample of 75,000 votes, time now – be it in the US or in as they expect a victory, with different parts of Europe. So far, a swing in Gozo and a four- we’re pleasantly surprised with candidate majority on the 2nd the turnout. It was well received in district. Helena Dalli leads in Malta and this is probably due to the 3rd district for Labour and the fact that the Maltese are well Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici for the informed on political affairs. The PN. way it works is not very different from sports.” 13:41 – Labour offi cials are more cautious, stating that the SUNDAY – 9 March result will be very close. 02:00 – Exit polls carried out by 13:49 – Emanuel Micallef says MT in the 10th district reveal that on PBS that one of Gonzi’s Robert Arrigo is the PN’s preferred biggest faults was his failure to candidate. But the poll also have a Cabinet reshuffl e and then indicates a surprise showing for promise a new young Cabinet John Dalli, who turns out to be third when in government. most preferred PN candidate. 13:52 - PN offi cials tell MT that 02:16 – Turnout was 3% down the tide is turning to their favour. from 2003. In 2003 the turnout was 96%. In 2003 the EU 14:14 – PN offi cials tell MT accession issue was a prime the difference between the two reason for the high turnout. The parties stands at 1% so they are lowest turnouts were in the fi rst, still hopeful that the PN could turn 9th and 10th districts, and 13th the tide. (Gozo) districts. The districts are notably Nationalist strongholds. 14:27 – Both MLP and PN Local elections were also held offi cials tell MT the election will yesterday and the turnout here was be a cliffhanger. 86%. 02:25 – Political stations run a long night vigil of the arrival and reconciliation of voting documents, a tedious process which still attracts viewers who stay up the whole night long. Claudio Grech, personal secretary to Austin Gatt, and PN president Victor Scerri after the announcement of the PN’s victory 02:30 – If the sorting of votes commences by 10:30, the political parties will have a clear indication of the fi nal result around midday.