PN awarded two extra seats through proportional mechanism

Nationalist Party candidates Toni Bezzina and Ian Vassallo Hagi have been elected after the party was awarded two extra seats through the proportional mechanism.

The Electoral Commission announced on Monday that the PN was awarded two additional seats so that its parliamentary representation reflects the share of the vote obtained on the first count.

Bezzina was left standing at the last count with 3,251 votes on the 5th District, while Vassallo was left standing with 3,190 votes on the 7th District. The proportional mechanism was introduced in 2007 so that parliamentary seats are adjusted to reflect the parties’ electoral strengths.

On Saturday, the PL won 39 seats and the PN 26 seats. The PN was subsequently awarded two extra seats, which were filled by the two candidates left standing with the most votes.

However, the number of parliamentary seats is expected to increase by a further 12 when the gender corrective mechanism is applied.

At that stage, the PL will have 45 seats and the PN 34 seats.