CANDIDATES 2026

Conrad Borg Manché is a Maltese lawyer and politician, best known for serving as Mayor of Gżira from 2015 to 2024. Raised in Gżira, he graduated in Law from the University of Malta and dedicated his career to community service and environmental protection in his locality. He gained national prominence in 2016 when he led the effort to reopen public access to the Manoel Island coastline after it had been closed for more than fifteen years. This led to Malta’s first Guardianship Agreement and to the establishment of the Manoel Island Foundation, to ensure that what belongs to the people is always safeguarded. In 2019, he was re-elected mayor with a record majority of 60%, becoming the first Gżira mayor to be elected for two consecutive terms. In 2023, he resigned from the Labour Party after accusing it of betraying its principles and those of his community. The definitive break came after his opposition to the relocation of a petrol station to Gżira’s only public garden, a case he won in court against the Lands Authority in defence of open space. Among the other reasons for his resignation was also the lack of will to reform family law, where he has always maintained that the law should reward every suitable parent, and that children have the right to enjoy both their parents equally. He continued serving as an independent mayor, and later contested both the local council and European Parliament elections as an independent candidate. In the European Parliament election, he obtained a substantial number of votes and finished among the top independent candidates in the country. Today, he is preparing to contest the next general election with the Nationalist Party, a choice he made because he believes in a fairer country and wants to continue pushing for justice, especially in the Family Court, which is the core and heart of our country. In everything, he continues to work with a constant emphasis on the community, the environment, children’s rights, and responsible governance.

Born on 1 January 1978 and lives in Paola. He has been a lawyer for 24 years and, over the past 19 years, has worked in two well-established companies in the transshipment and gaming industries, where he specialized in human resources. At the age of 19, he was elected as a Nationalist Party local councillor in Paola and served for 11 years. From a young age, he has always been active in various youth organizations, scouting, feast and voluntary organizations. For six years, he also served as Vice President of Hibernians FC and has now been President of Gudja FC for eight years. In his professional work, as well as in his involvement in various voluntary sectors, he has always been committed to helping ensure that no one is left behind.

Albert Buttigieg is 61 years old. He has worked in various social, religious, educational, and managerial fields. For 20 years he was a Capuchin friar, and for 13 of those years he served as a priest with various responsibilities, including work with youth, in parishes, as a missionary in Kenya and Tanzania, and work within the Corradino Correctional Facility. Albert served as a director at Sedqa Agency in the prevention sector, was Chief Executive of the Housing Authority, an administrator at Caritas, and worked with the Equal Partners Foundation (supporting children with special needs). He writes regularly for Times of Malta, Il-Mument, and Newsbook, and presents a social program on F Living. He was a Nationalist Party councillor in the St Julian’s Local Council, where he served as Deputy Mayor and at a later stage as Mayor of St Julian’s. Currently, he is a Member of Parliament representing the Nationalist Party and Shadow Minister for Child Protection and Neurodiversity. He graduated in Philosophy and Theology from the University of Malta, and in Education and Educational/Social Sciences from the Salesian University of Rome. He is married to Benna Chase and they have a son named Adam. He also has a stepdaughter named Karen. His hobbies include gardening, classical music, travelling, and cooking.

Miriana Calleja Testaferrata de Noto is 30-year-old lawyer with a focus on civil matters, and a graduate in European Studies. She entered politics because she believes that politics should be a tool for service, change, and hope, as well as a means of serving as a voice for those who are often not heard enough. Miriana believes that politics should start with people and their needs. Her mission is to make a concrete difference in everyday life, especially in areas that are very close to her heart: mental health, young people, and the environment. She places great importance on mental health and believes it should be given the same priority as physical health. For Miriana, every person should find support, respect, and dignity when going through difficult moments. Miriana also believes in the great potential of young people. She wants to be a voice in favour of more opportunities, strong education, quality jobs, and spaces where young people can participate actively in shaping our country’s future. With her knowledge of law and European Studies, Miriana brings an informed and modern perspective to politics. Above all, she believes in politics that is close to people. Politics that listens, understands, and acts. Her aim is to work with commitment and determination so that every person feels represented and heard.

John is 61 years old, married, and has three children aged 31, 28, and 23. He was born and lives in Marsaskala. He worked for 41 years with the national airline, where he rose to the rank of Supervisor Engineer. He served as President of the Aircraft Engineers Association. For the past 30 years, he has been part of the PN Marsaskala Committee, holding various roles. Since 1998, he has also served as Party agent at every election at the Counting Hall. He has been involved in the Marsaskala Local Council almost since its early days. In the first legislature, he served as Deputy Mayor, while in the following seven legislatures he was the PN Minority Leader in the locality. He also served as the PN coordinator for elections in his area. He was a candidate on the 3rd District in the 2017 and 2022 General Elections. He is a member of the PN Executive Committee, where he serves as the representative of local councillors for the 3rd District. He also contributes to radio and television programmes on local and political issues, as well as educational topics such as information about electrical equipment. His hobbies include travelling and driving trips, and in summer he enjoys spending time by the sea with his family.

Norma, from Xagħra, Gozo, is a Speech-Language Pathologist. She has always shown a strong sense of duty and commitment towards improving our society through her various roles, both as a professional and through her involvement in the voluntary sector from a young age. She has held several leadership roles at a European level, including President of the European Speech and Language Therapy Association (ESLA), as well as President of the Association of Speech-Language Pathologists (ASLP) in Malta. She is Chairperson of the Civil Society Committee (CSC) within the MCESD and represents Maltese civil society at the European Economic and Social Committee. Norma is also a singer, pianist, and enjoys swimming. She is married and has a daughter. She was a candidate in the 2024 European Parliament elections.

Married to Miriana, he is 32 years old and grew up in Santa Venera. He is a lawyer and a Member of Parliament elected from the 1st District, where in recent years he served as Shadow Minister for Home Affairs and Security. Since 2022, he has been appointed Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Public Accounts, and in 2024 he was elected to the International Board of Public Accounts Committees, which coordinates investigations into public spending across 60 countries. He practices as a lawyer after graduating from the University of Malta in 2018. He also holds a Masters degree in Law from a United Nations university, specialising in fundamental human rights and transnational crime, completed in 2019. He also served for nine years on the Santa Venera Local Council between 2013 and 2022.

Stefan was born on 8 December 1975 and is married to Rachelle (née Aquilina). At the age of 13, he began studying the violin. He also studied the viola, organ, lyrical singing, and conducting. In addition, he studied theatre. Stefan began his education at the Gudja primary school. He continued his studies at the secondary school in Żurrieq and at Liceo Vassalli in Ħandaq. He later followed in his father’s footsteps by attending the Technical Institute. He then went on to further his studies at the University of Malta. He is a music and theatre studies teacher and lecturer at the Giovanni Curmi Higher Secondary School in Naxxar. Between 1991 and 2009, he worked as an Electrical Engineering Technician with Maltacom/GO plc. Between 1999 and 2021, he was coordinator of the Gudja Youth Group, a well-known voluntary organisation active in Gudja and across Malta, particularly in theatrical productions. In 2003, Stefan was appointed Musical Director of the Assumpta Est Choir and Orchestra of Gudja. He also served as Maestro di Cappella for Santa Maria and Our Lady of Loreto in Gudja, and for five years for Our Lady of Lourdes in Paola. With this choir, he took part in various music festivals both in Malta and abroad. He is also a member of several choirs in Malta and Gozo, and a member of the Santa Marija feast decorations group. In 2012, he was a finalist for the President’s Volunteer Award. Between 1996 and 1998, he was part of MŻPN. In 2013, he was elected for the first time as a local councillor in the Gudja Local Council, and was re-elected in 2019 and 2022, when he was appointed Minority Leader for the PN. He was re-elected in the 2024 local council elections with the highest number of votes ever obtained by a councillor from any party in the same locality. In 2022, he contested the general election for the first time on behalf of the Nationalist Party in the 4th and 5th Districts. In March 2023, he was appointed Executive Organisational Secretary of the PN, an important role within the party’s administration, responsible for logistics and organisation. Stefan is a sports enthusiast and for a time played volleyball and table tennis. In football, he supports the Italian team Juventus.