2019 Gibraltar general election

Last updated

2019 Gibraltar general election
Flag of Gibraltar.svg
  2015 17 October 2019 2023  

All 17 seats in the Gibraltar Parliament
9 seats needed for a majority
Turnout70.84% (Increase2.svg0.07pp)
 First partySecond partyThird party
  Fabian Picardo 2018 4x3 cropped.jpg Keith Azopardi 2011 4x3 cropped.jpg Marlene Hassan Nahon (cropped).jpg
Leader Fabian Picardo Keith Azopardi Marlene Hassan-Nahon
Party Alliance Social Democrats Together Gibraltar
Last election68.44%, 10 seats31.56%, 7 seats
Seats won1061
Seat changeSteady2.svgDecrease2.svg1New
Popular vote83,12240,45332,455
Percentage52.50%25.55%20.50%
SwingDecrease2.svg15.94ppDecrease2.svg6.01ppNew

Chief Minister before election

Fabian Picardo
Socialist Labour

Elected Chief Minister

Fabian Picardo
Socialist Labour

General elections were held in Gibraltar on 17 October 2019 to elect all 17 members to the fourth Gibraltar Parliament. Chief Minister Fabian Picardo announced the date of the election on Monday 16 September 2019. [1] On September 2019, it was announced that Libs MP and GSLP/Libs Minister, Neil Costa, would not seek re-election and had his candidacy and seat replaced by Vijay Daryanani of the same party.

The GSLP–Liberal Alliance won their third consecutive election, retaining their majority in the Parliament. Fabian Picardo was returned as Chief Minister of Gibraltar. However both the governing GSLP–Liberal Alliance and the opposition Gibraltar Social Democrats lost votes to new party Together Gibraltar, which won one seat from the GSD. [2]

Timing and procedure

Under section 38(2) of the Gibraltar Constitution Order 2006, the parliament must be dissolved four years after its first meeting following the last election (unless the Chief Minister advises the Governor of Gibraltar 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. [3] [4] In September 2019, Chief Minister Fabian Picardo formally asked Governor Ed Davis to dissolve parliament and call an election for 17 October 2019. [1] Following the British tradition, elections in Gibraltar conventionally take place on a Thursday.

MPs were elected through limited voting.

Campaign

The issue of Brexit (formerly due to take place exactly two weeks after election day) was a major theme in the election campaign, with incumbent Chief Minister Fabian Picardo stating that the territory is ready for a 'no deal' Brexit. [5]

Party slogans

Party or allianceSlogan
GSLP/Libs Alliance "All Our Generations in Our Hearts"
GSD "The Gibraltar You Deserve"
Together Gibraltar "Believe in a better way"
Robert Vasquez"Your Fearless and Independent Voice"
John Charles Pons"Vote for: The Planet, Humanity, Youths' Future, Greta Thunberg"

Results

Gibraltar Parlement 2019.svg
Party or allianceVotes%Seats+/–
Alliance Gibraltar Socialist Labour Party 58,57637.0070
Liberal Party of Gibraltar 24,54615.5030
Total83,12252.50100
Gibraltar Social Democrats 40,45325.556–1
Together Gibraltar 32,45520.501+1
Independents2,2981.4500
Total158,328100.00170
Valid votes16,76797.85
Invalid/blank votes3682.15
Total votes17,135100.00
Registered voters/turnout24,18970.84
Source: Parliament, Parliament

By candidate

CandidatePartyAllianceVotesNotes
Fabian Picardo GSLP GSLP–Liberal Alliance 9,961Elected
Joseph Garcia LPG GSLP–Liberal Alliance 9,672Elected
John Cortes GSLP GSLP–Liberal Alliance 9,003Elected
Albert Isola GSLP GSLP–Liberal Alliance 8,502Elected
Joseph Bossano GSLP GSLP–Liberal Alliance 8,374Elected
Gilbert Licudi GSLP GSLP–Liberal Alliance 8,293Elected
Steven Linares LPG GSLP–Liberal Alliance 7,718Elected
Paul Balban GSLP GSLP–Liberal Alliance 7,251Elected
Samantha Sacramento GSLP GSLP–Liberal Alliance 7,192Elected
Vijay Daryanani LPG GSLP–Liberal Alliance 7,156Elected
Marlene Hassan-Nahon TG None5,639Elected
Damon Bossino GSD None4,868Elected
Daniel Feetham GSD None4,842Elected
Keith Azopardi GSD None4,711Elected
Roy Clinton GSD None4,342Elected
Elliott Phillips GSD None4,165Elected
Edwin Reyes GSD None3,840Elected
Craig Sacarello TG None3,805
Alfred Ballester GSD None3,681
Joelle Ladislaus GSD None3,484
Trevor Hammond GSD None3,451Unseated
Siân Jones TG None3,345
John Montegriffo TG None3,158
Orlando Yeats GSD None3,069
Kamlesh Khubchand Daswani TG None3,035
Neil Samtani TG None2,889
Daniel Ghio TG None2,780
Erika Pozo TG None2,640
Jackie Anderson TG None2,619
Tamsin Suarez TG None2,545
Robert Vasquez Independent None1,460
John Charles Pons Independent None838
Source: Parliament of Gibraltar, Together Gibraltar Candidates

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Liberal Party of Gibraltar</span> Political party in Gibraltar

The Liberal Party of Gibraltar is a liberal political party in Gibraltar. It was founded in 1991 as the Gibraltar National Party and is led by Dr. Joseph Garcia. The LPG forms the GSLP–Liberal Alliance in partnership with the Gibraltar Socialist Labour Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gibraltar Socialist Labour Party</span> Social-democratic political party in Gibraltar

The Gibraltar Socialist Labour Party (GSLP) is a social-democratic political party in Gibraltar. The GSLP is the oldest surviving active political party in Gibraltar. Its roots are based in the trade union movement, as its founder and former leader Joe Bossano was the District Officer of the Transport and General Workers Union (TGWU). The party has been led since 2011 by Fabian Picardo, who has served as Chief Minister of Gibraltar since the 2011 general election. The GSLP forms the GSLP–Liberal Alliance in partnership with the Liberal Party of Gibraltar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elections in Gibraltar</span>

Gibraltar elects on the national level a legislature. The Gibraltar Parliament has 17 members, all elected for a four-year term in one constituency with each voter getting to vote for their selection of ten candidates. Gibraltar forms a single constituency but voters have only ten votes. Hence the electoral bloc with the most votes will normally get ten seats and the runners up seven.

Sir Joseph John Bossano is a Gibraltarian politician who served as Chief Minister of Gibraltar from 1988 to 1996 and Leader of the Gibraltar Socialist Labour Party from 1978 to 2011. He served as Leader of the Opposition from 1984 to 1988 and 1996 to 2011. He was first elected to the then Gibraltar House of Assembly in 1972 and is often referred to as the Father of the House for being the longest-serving parliamentarian in Gibraltar.

Dr Joseph John Andrew Garcia is a Gibraltarian historian and politician, and the current leader of the Liberal Party of Gibraltar (LPG) and Deputy Chief Minister of the Government of Gibraltar. The LPG holds two of the 17 seats in the Gibraltar Parliament after the 2023 general election and is in government with its political allies, the Gibraltar Socialist Labour Party (GSLP).

Keith Azopardi is a Gibraltarian lawyer and politician serving as Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the Gibraltar Social Democrats since 2017.

Fabian Raymond Picardo is a Gibraltarian politician and barrister, serving as Chief Minister of Gibraltar and Leader of the Gibraltar Socialist Labour Party since 2011. At the 2015 and 2019 Gibraltar general elections, Picardo was re-elected to two further four-year terms. He was narrowly re-elected for a fourth term in the 2023 Gibraltar general election.

Prof. John Emmanuel Cortes, MBE, is an ecologist, zoologist, Justice of the Peace and Gibraltarian MP, member of the Gibraltar Socialist Labour Party. He is married and has two children.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neil Costa</span>

Neil Francis Costa is a Gibraltarian barrister and politician affiliated to the Liberal Party of Gibraltar (LPG). In December 2011 he was elected an MP to the Gibraltar Parliament and was elected Minister for Tourism, Public Transport, Commercial Affairs and the Port. After the Ministerial reshuffle of December 2014, he became Minister for Business and Employment. In October 2016, he was appointed Minister for Health, Care and Justice. In October 2019, Costa confirmed his decision that he would not seek re-election and returned to work as a barrister.

The Hon. Paul John Balban is a former Gibraltarian politician, State Registered Dietitian and former taxi driver. He was first elected to the Gibraltar Parliament at the 2011 general elections and was a Gibraltar Government Minister until 12 October 2023, member of the Gibraltar Socialist Labour Party (GSLP). He is married and has three daughters. On 15 September 2023, he announced that he and fellow party MPs and Ministers, Albert Isola and Samantha Sacramento, would not stand for re-election.

The Hon. Damon James Bossino, MP, is a Gibraltarian barrister and Member of the Gibraltar Parliament representing the Gibraltar Social Democrats. He is married to Rosa Arrimadas from Spain with whom he has three children.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2013 Gibraltar by-election</span>

A by-election was held to the Gibraltar Parliament on 4 July 2013 to fill the seat left vacant by the death of Housing Minister Charles Bruzon in April 2013. The Gibraltar Socialist Labour Party (GSLP), Gibraltar Social Democrats (GSD), Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) and an independent contested the by-election. The Liberal Party of Gibraltar who is in alliance and in Government with the GSLP backed the GSLP's candidate.

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2019 European Parliament election in Gibraltar</span> 2019 election of members of the European parliament in Gibraltar

European Parliament elections were held in Gibraltar. 23 May 2019 as part of the EU-wide elections after the date of EU withdrawal was delayed by the UK Government.

The GSLP–Liberal Alliance is a centre-left political alliance active in Gibraltar consisting of the Gibraltar Socialist Labour Party (GSLP) and Liberal Party of Gibraltar (LPG).

Same-sex marriage has been legal in Gibraltar since 15 December 2016. A bill for the legalisation of same-sex marriages was approved by the Parliament on 26 October 2016 and received royal assent on 1 November 2016. Gibraltar has also allowed civil partnerships since 28 March 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2019 (Gibraltar)</span> Act of the Gibraltar Parliament

The European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2019, also known as the Repeal Bill is an Act of the Gibraltar Parliament announced by Chief Minister Fabian Picardo, that transposed directly-applicable European Union law into the law of Gibraltar as part of the UK's exit from the European Union (Brexit). It has the same effect as the similarly named European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 in the UK.

General elections were held in Gibraltar on 12 October 2023 to elect all 17 members of the fifth Gibraltar Parliament. This was the first election in Gibraltar's history to use an electronic voting count system. The GSLP–Liberal Alliance secured a fourth term in office, though it saw its majority reduced to one seat, whilst the GSD became the sole opposition party, gaining two seats.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2021 Gibraltar abortion referendum</span>

A referendum on partially legalising abortion was held in Gibraltar on 24 June 2021. It had originally been scheduled for 19 March 2020, but was postponed on 12 March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The proposal was approved by 63% of voters.

General elections will be held in Gibraltar by 8 March 2028 to elect all 17 members to the sixth Gibraltar Parliament.

References

  1. 1 2 "General election called for 17th October". Gibraltar Broadcasting Corporation . 16 September 2019. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  2. "Picardo celebrates third consecutive election win". Gibraltar Broadcasting Corporation . 17 October 2019. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
  3. "Official text of the Gibraltar Constitution Order 2006". Laws of Gibraltar. 14 December 2006. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
  4. "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.
  5. "Gibraltar heads to the polls amid no-deal Brexit fears". Politico. 15 October 2019.