Court stops election of St Paul's Bay mayor

A judge has accepted the Nationalist Party’s request to stop the election of a new mayor in St Paul’s Bay.

Judge Joseph Zammit Mackeon said it was ordinary practice to uphold injunctions if the applicant proves he has a prima facie right and would suffer disproportionate prejudice if the injunction is not granted.

The case concerns the political bickering in the St Paul’s Bay council that saw two PN councillors resigning from the party but staying on as independents. This forced the former PN mayor Graziella Galea to resign just before a motion of no confidence presented by PL councillors and the two independent councillors was going to be brought to the vote. The motion would have passed with the support of the two independents.

An election among councillors to elect Galea’s replacement would likely return a PL mayor.

PN secretary general Clyde Puli had filed an application for a court injunction last month, insisting that according to the law governing local councils, the mayor should be elected from among the councillors representing the party that obtained a majority of votes.

Puli accused the PL of trying to take over the St Paul’s Bay council, despite not winning a majority in the 2015 election. He said the injunction was filed to protect the democratic will of the people.

The first hall of the civil court upheld the request but insisted it was not up to it to determine the merits of the case, which will have to be dealt with in a separate court case.

PL reacts

In a statement, the Labour party said that Adrian Delia’s lack of action reduced the St Paul’s Bay local council to the ongoing situation.

“The Nationalist Party lost the majority in the local council and now does not have anyone to elect as Mayor,” the statement said.

“It is now up to the Opposition to offer a solution which assured that the majority works.”