CONRAD BORG MANCHÉ TO CONTEST GENERAL ELECTION WITH PN

Lawyer and former Gżira mayor Conrad Borg Manché is set to contest Malta’s 30 May general election on a Nationalist Party ticket, marking a major political shift after his high-profile split from the Labour Party in 2023.

Borg Manché formally submitted his nomination papers to the Electoral Commission on Monday afternoon and will contest the 10th electoral district, which includes Gżira, Sliema, St Julian’s, Pembroke and parts of Naxxar, a district traditionally regarded as a Nationalist stronghold.

He served as Gżira’s Labour-backed mayor between 2015 and 2024, becoming the first mayor in the locality’s history to be re-elected for a second consecutive term. During his tenure, he gained prominence for championing environmental and public access causes, most notably joining activists in 2016 to demand access to Manoel Island and opposing the relocation of a petrol station to the Council of Europe Garden, Gżira’s main public green space.

His relationship with Labour deteriorated over the issue, culminating in his resignation from the party in October 2023. At the time, he accused Labour of abandoning its founding socialist principles and said he was no longer willing to conform as a “yes man.”

Borg Manché remained politically active, contesting the 2024 European Parliament election as an independent candidate, where he secured nearly 6,000 first-count votes nationwide, as well reclaiming his seat on the Gzira local council as an independent candidate.

During his MEP campaign he had also indicated a more conservative political direction, stating he would have joined the European Conservatives group if elected.

#MaltaDaily