The nomination deadline closed on Monday at 2000hrs, by which time both largest local political parties (Labour Party and Nationalist Party) had presented exactly the same number of candidates, spread across the various localities which are being contested.

 

The 2009 Local Council elections are planned to be held alongside the European Parliament Elections on 6 June.

 

The largest concentration of candidates who will be contesting a locality will be in Birkirkara, with 20 candidates, while the runner up is Msida, with 19 candidates.

 

Of the 133 candidates that the Nationalist Party presented, 25.5% (34) are women, while out of the same number of Labour Party candidates, 21.8% (29) are women.

 

The trend was however reversed with regards to the candidates for the European Parliament Election, as out of the total of 12 candidates which the Labour Party presented, just under half are female (5).

 

The Nationalist Party, however, presented only 2 female candidates out of the party's 10 candidates for the European Parliament Election.

 

Overall, out of the 34 candidates who will be contesting the European Parliament Election, a mere 8 (23%) are female.