The history of Gibraltar portrays how The Rock gained an importance and a reputation far exceeding its size,influencing and shaping the people who came to reside here over the centuries.
The politics of Gibraltar takes place within a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic British Overseas Territory,whereby the Monarch of the United Kingdom is the constitutional head of state represented by the Governor of Gibraltar. The Chief Minister of Gibraltar is the head of Government. As a British Overseas Territory,the Government of Gibraltar is not subordinate to the Government of the United Kingdom. The British Government,however,is responsible for defence and external affairs but Gibraltar has full internal self-government under its 2006 Constitution.
The Gibraltar Social Democrats (GSD) is a liberal-conservative,centre-right political party in Gibraltar. The GSD was the governing party for four successive terms in office under the leadership of Peter Caruana,from the 1996 general election until the party's electoral defeat in the 2011 election by the GSLP–Liberal Alliance.
Daniel Anthony Feetham KC MP is a Gibraltarian lawyer and former politician who served as Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the Gibraltar Social Democrats (GSD) from 2013 to 2017.
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.
Sir Joshua Abraham Hassan,nicknamed "Salvador" (Saviour),was a Gibraltarian politician,and first mayor and Chief Minister of Gibraltar,serving four terms as chief minister for a total of over 20 years. He is seen as the key figure in the civil rights movement in Gibraltar,and played a key role in the creation of the territory's institutions of self-government.
General elections were held in Gibraltar on 11 October 2007. The incumbent Chief Minister Peter Caruana narrowly won a fourth term,but opposition leader Joe Bossano had a very strong showing. Joe Bossano noted that this would be his last term as an MP,and joked that he would not join the government,despite receiving a higher personal vote than some members of the Gibraltar Social Democrats (GSD).
Charles Caruana CBE was a Gibraltarian Roman Catholic bishop of Maltese descent. He was appointed sixth Roman Catholic Bishop of Gibraltar on 14 February 1998 and ordained on 24 May 1998. His retirement request was accepted on 18 March 2010. He died at St Bernard's Hospital,Gibraltar on 1 October 2010 following a bout of ill health.
Keith Azopardi is a Gibraltarian lawyer and politician serving as Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the Gibraltar Social Democrats since 2017.
Joseph (J.E.) Emmanuel Triay QC was a Gibraltarian lawyer and politician,best known for having been one of the promoters of the Doves in the 1960s.
The Party for the Autonomy of Gibraltar (PAG) was a minority right-wing political party in Gibraltar founded on 7 September 1977. It was led by Joseph Triay and advocated a rapprochement with Spain. It contended the 1980 election,without success.
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.
Charles Arthur Bruzon was a Gibraltarian politician and former Roman Catholic priest. He was affiliated with the Gibraltar Socialist Labour Party (GSLP). In the general elections of 2011,he was elected to the Gibraltar Parliament and appointed Minister for Housing and the Elderly.
Albert Andrew Poggio GMH,OBE,is a Gibraltarian businessman and political consultant. Besides being Director of the Friends of Gibraltar Heritage Society and member of the United Kingdom Overseas Territories Association Committee,he was Director of Gibraltar Electrical Supplies,Director of the Gibraltar Tourist Board and managing director of the Gibraltar Information Bureau in London. Poggio married in the late 1960s Sally,an Israel-born solicitor;the couple had a daughter,Sarah Tracey Poggio,born in 1968.
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.
His Majesty's Loyal Opposition,or the Official Opposition in Gibraltar,is led by the Leader of the Opposition. This is usually the political party with the second largest number of seats in the Gibraltar Parliament,as the largest party will usually form the government. Since the 2011 General Election,the Official Opposition has been the Gibraltar Social Democrats (GSD) led by Peter Caruana (2011–2013),Daniel Feetham (2013- –2017),Roy Clinton as Interim Opposition Leader and now Keith Azopardi.
Marlene Dinah Esther Hassan-Nahon is a Gibraltarian historian,journalist and former politician,who served as a member of the Gibraltar Parliament from 2015 until 2023.
Roy Mark Clinton is a Gibraltarian politician,banker and author who is a member of the Gibraltar Social Democrats and currently serves as the shadow minister for finance in the Parliament of Gibraltar.
Edwin Joseph Reyes,MP is a Gibraltarian politician and a MP in the Gibraltar Parliament for the Gibraltar Social Democrats (GSD).
