The Nationalist Party has called for the central town of Għargħur to decide who should lead its local council, and who should be its mayor, via an election.
“Call an election in Għargħur – we will not accept this situation of tyranny, of democracy theft,” Grech stated.
“Let the residents decide for themselves, let voters express their opinion. Let Għargħur residents lead themselves and select who should lead them,” he added.
This call comes a week after the Għargħur Local Council went red after toppling PN’s Helen Gauci from the position of Mayor, in favour of the Labour Party’s Mariah Meli, following the town’s Deputy Mayor’s resignation from the Nationalist Party. Francesca Attard remained as Deputy Mayor within the Għargħur Local Council, albeit now politically independent.
Last week, PN’s Helen Gauci lost a vote of no confidence after Attard voted her against her, together with the two PL councillors.
On Wednesday evening, Bernard Grech spoke in a “Rally for Democracy” that was organised by his Nationalist Party.
This mayorship change has since sparked heavy criticism from the PN, with Opposition calling this switch anti-democratic.
Grech reiterated that in the last Local Council elections – held just under a year ago, in June 2024 – the Nationalist Party won over 62% of the votes, while Gauci had achieved more than double the votes of Għargħur’s new PL mayor, Mariah Meli (869 v 433 votes).
The Opposition leader told the crowd in attendance that Gauci was first voted in as the town’s mayor six years ago, in 2019, and that the 2024 elections simply reaffirmed her position following a successful initial stint in charge of the Għargħur Local Council.
“Call an election in Għargħur and the Għargħur residents will decide if Helen Gauci should be mayor,” Grech demanded.
Grech stated that participating political parties should always bow their heads to the result of an electoral vote, but disappointingly, the Labour Party – which he said “does not respect democracy” – has now gone against the will of Għargħur’s residents.
“We are here today because we believe in the will of residents. Residents are supreme and everyone should have bowed their heads to their decision,” the PN leader said, “That is why we are here – to say no; it is not acceptable what happened here in Għargħur.”
Grech said that the PN organised Wednesday evening’s rally to reject the “arrogance and lack of respect” that has led to this situation. He added that in light of this political development, the Labour Party believes it can steal the mayor seat.
Saying that Gauci and the PN virtually won the locality’s local council election in 2024 by a two-thirds majority, Bernard Grech said that if the government does not respect a two-thirds electoral majority, “how can we expect it to respect the 50%+1 stated in our Constitution? This is what’s at stake.”
He said that for this reason, as well as for safeguarding the fundamental principles of democracy, this local council power grab affects the entire country.
“What happened here revealed the macabre mentality of the Labour Party that it is ready to do everything. It is no longer just ready to steal money, it is ready to steal democracy, and we will not let them,” Grech said.
Criticising the Prime Minister’s running of the country, Grech condemned how PM Abela defended PL MEP Daniel Attard as he requested political immunity to allow Belgian police to investigate him in a potential bribery scandal with a Huawei lobbyist.
He also deplored the reinstatement of Ronald Mizzi as Permanent Secretary, this time within the Office of the Prime Minister, while his involvement in the ongoing hospital deal court case has not yet concluded.
Concluding his speech about this local council situation and its potential impacts on Maltese democracy, Bernard Grech appealed to keep supporting all councillors, mayors, local councils, especially Għargħur’s PN councillors.