2015 Gibraltar general election

Last updated

2015 Gibraltar general election
Flag of Gibraltar.svg
  2011 26 November 2015 2019  

All 17 seats in the Gibraltar Parliament
9 seats needed for a majority
 First partySecond party
  Fabian Picardo in at 6 Convent Place 05 (cropped).jpg Daniel Feetham votando en las elecciones generales de Gibraltar, 26 de noviembre de 2015 (cropped).jpg
Leader Fabian Picardo (GSLP) Daniel Feetham
Party Alliance Social Democrats
Last election48.88%, 10 seats46.76%, 7 seats
Seats won107
Seat changeSteady2.svgSteady2.svg
Popular vote100,95046,545
Percentage68.44%31.56%
SwingIncrease2.svg19.56ppDecrease2.svg15.20pp

Chief Minister before election

Fabian Picardo
Socialist Labour

Elected Chief Minister

Fabian Picardo
Socialist Labour

General elections were held in Gibraltar on 26 November 2015 to elect all 17 members to the third Gibraltar Parliament. Chief Minister Fabian Picardo announced the date of the election on Monday 19 October 2015 during a speech on the Gibraltar Broadcasting Corporation. [1]

Contents

Background

Under section 38(2) of the Gibraltar Constitution Order 2006, the parliament must be dissolved by the Governor four years after its first meeting following the last election (unless the Chief Minister advises the Governor to dissolve parliament sooner). Under section 37 of the Constitution, writs for a general election must be issued within thirty days of the dissolution and the general election must then be held no later than three months after the issuing of a writ. [2] [3] In October 2015, Chief Minister Fabian Picardo announced that the election would take place on 26 November. Following the British tradition, elections in Gibraltar conventionally take place on a Thursday.

Campaign

The UK-based UK Independence Party announced in 2014 that it was planning on fielding candidates for the first time in Gibraltar's next general election. [4] [5] However, ultimately they did not field any candidates. There were also no independents.

Party slogans

Party or allianceSlogan
GSLP/Libs Alliance "The Strongest Foundations For Your Future"
GSD "Forward Together"

Incumbent MPs (from 2011)

CandidatePartySeeking
re-election?
Parliamentary role(s)
Fabian Picardo (since 2003) GSLP–Liberal Alliance (GSLP)YesChief Minister
John Cortes (since 2011) GSLP–Liberal Alliance (GSLP)YesMinister for Health and Environment (2011–2014)
Minister for Health, the Environment, Energy and Climate Change (2014–2015)
Joseph Garcia (since 1999) [a] GSLP–Liberal Alliance (LPG)YesDeputy Chief Minister
Gilbert Licudi (since 2007) GSLP–Liberal Alliance (GSLP)YesMinister for Education, Financial Services, Gaming, Telecommunications and Justice (2011–2013)
Minister for Education, Telecommunications and Justice (2013–2014)
Minister for Education and Justice & International Exchange of Information (2014–2015)
Joseph Bossano (since 1972) GSLP–Liberal Alliance (GSLP) (since 1980)YesMinister for Enterprise, Training and Employment (2011–2013)
Minister for Enterprise, Training, Employment and Health & Safety (2013–2014)
Minister for Economic Development, Telecommunications & the GSB (2014–2015)
Peter Caruana (since 1991) [b] GSD NoLeader of the Opposition (2011–2013)
Opposition Backbencher (2013-2015)
Neil Costa (since 2011) GSLP–Liberal Alliance (LPG)YesMinister for Tourism, Public Transport and the Port (2011–2012)
Minister for Tourism, Commercial Affairs, Public Transport and the Port (2012–2014)
Minister for Business, Employment, Skills & Training (2014–2015)
Daniel Feetham (since 2007) GSD YesShadow Minister (2011–2013)
Leader of the Opposition and Shadow Minister for Gaming and GSB (since 2013)
Steven Linares (since 2000) GSLP–Liberal Alliance (LPG)YesMinister for Sports, Culture, Heritage and Youth
Samantha Sacramento (since 2011) GSLP–Liberal Alliance (GSLP)YesMinister for Equality and Social Services (2011–2013)
Minister for Equality, Social Services and the Elderly (2013–2014)
Minister for Tourism, Housing, Equality and Social Services (2014–2015)
Isobel Ellul-Hammond (since 2011) GSD NoShadow Minister for Health and Civil Contingencies (2011–2013)
Shadow Minister for Health, Civil Contingencies, Care Services, the Elderly, Family, Equality and Civil Rights (2013–2015)
Paul Balban (since 2011) GSLP–Liberal Alliance (GSLP)YesMinister for Traffic, Health & Safety and Technical Services (2011–2013)
Minister for Traffic, Housing and Technical Services (2013–2014)
Minister for Transport, Traffic and Technical Services (2014–2015)
Damon Bossino (since 2011) GSD NoShadow Minister for Tourism, Aviation and Shipping (2011–2013)
Shadow Minister for Tourism, Aviation, Shipping, Enterprise, Training, Employment and Health & Safety (2013–2015)
Edwin Reyes (since 2007) GSD YesShadow Minister for Sports, Culture, Heritage, Youth and Education (2011–2015)
Jaime Netto (since 1996) GSD NoShadow Minister (2011–2013)
Shadow Minister for Environment (2013–2015)
Selwyn Figueras (since 2011) GSD NoShadow Minister (2011–2013)
Shadow Minister for Justice, Financial Services, Planning, Traffic and Transport (2013–2015)
Albert Isola (since 2013) [c] GSLP–Liberal Alliance (GSLP)YesMinister for Financial Services and Gaming

Opinion polls

A GBC public opinion poll of 17 November predicted 67% for GSLP/Libs and 33% for GSD. [6]

Results

The results saw the first occasion on which a party received over 100,000 votes. Both the GSLP and LPG received more votes in the elections than in any other previous general elections, with the LPG receiving the highest percentage of votes in its history. Contrastingly, the GSD saw the largest drop in its vote share in its history. Voter turnout (70.77%) was the lowest since 1980.

Gibraltar Parliament Dec 2011.svg
Party or allianceVotes%Seats+/–
Alliance Gibraltar Socialist Labour Party 70,55147.8370
Liberal Party of Gibraltar 30,39920.6130
Total100,95068.44100
Gibraltar Social Democrats 46,54531.5670
Total147,495100.00170
Valid votes15,57894.56
Invalid/blank votes8975.44
Total votes16,475100.00
Registered voters/turnout23,27870.77
Source: Parliament of Gibraltar

By candidate

CandidatePartyAllianceVotesNotes
Fabian Picardo GSLP GSLP–Liberal Alliance 10,852Elected
Joseph Garcia LPG GSLP–Liberal Alliance 10,661Elected
John Cortes GSLP GSLP–Liberal Alliance 10,529Elected
Gilbert Licudi GSLP GSLP–Liberal Alliance 10,379Elected
Albert Isola GSLP GSLP–Liberal Alliance 10,313Elected
Neil Costa LPG GSLP–Liberal Alliance 10,048Elected
Samantha Sacramento GSLP GSLP–Liberal Alliance 9,822Elected
Steven Linares LPG GSLP–Liberal Alliance 9,690Elected
Paul Balban GSLP GSLP–Liberal Alliance 9,511Elected
Joseph Bossano GSLP GSLP–Liberal Alliance 9,145Elected
Daniel Feetham GSD -5,054Elected
Marlene Hassan Nahon GSD -4,892Elected
Elliott Phillips GSD -4,784Elected
Edwin Reyes GSD -4,766Elected
Roy Clinton GSD -4,733Elected
Trevor Hammond GSD -4,578Elected
Lawrence Llamas GSD -4,565Elected
Robert Vasquez GSD -4,535
Christopher White GSD -4,324
Kim Karnani-Santos GSD -4,314
Source: Parliament of Gibraltar

Notes

  1. Elected in 1999 by-election after the death of elected GSLP MP and Shadow Minister & former Mayor of Gibraltar, Robert Mor.
  2. Elected in 1991 by-election after the resignation of former AACR MP and Founder and first GSD Leader, Peter Montegriffo. He had beaten his opponent, AACR's Douglas Henrich (2496 vs 1542 votes).
  3. Elected in 2013 by-election after the death of elected MP and Minister for Housing and the Elderly, Charles Bruzon.

References

  1. "Gibraltar calls elections for November 26". AFP . Yahoo! News. 19 October 2015. Retrieved 20 October 2015.
  2. "Official text of the Gibraltar Constitution Order 2006". Gibraltar Laws. 14 December 2006. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
  3. "Reporting of the Proceedings of the Gibraltar Parliament" (PDF). Parliament of Gibraltar. 21 December 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 September 2019. Retrieved 1 September 2013.
  4. UKIP To Contest Gibraltar 2015 General Election YGTV, 19 August 2013
  5. UKIP hopes to fight elections in Gibraltar Archived 11 July 2015 at the Wayback Machine Gibraltar Chronicle, 1 March 2014
  6. Latest GBC opinion poll gives the GSLP Liberal Alliance big lead over the GSD Gibraltar Broadcasting Corporation, 17 November 2015