2019 Gibraltar general election

The Gibraltar general election of 2019 to elect all 17 members to the 4th Gibraltar Parliament took place on Thursday 17 October 2019. Chief Minister Fabian Picardo announced the date of the election on Monday 16 September 2019.[2]

2019 Gibraltar general election

17 October 2019
17 seats to the Gibraltar Parliament 9 seats needed for a majority
Turnout	70.84% (0.07%)
Leader Fabian Picardo Keith Azopardi Marlene Hassan Nahon Party Socialist Labour Social Democrats Together Gibraltar Alliance GSLP–Liberal None None Leader since 2011 2017 2018 Last election 10 seats, 68.4%[1] 7 seats, 31.6%[1] Pre-creation Seats won 10 6 1 Seat change 1 1[n 1] Popular vote 83,122 40,453 32,455 Percentage 52.5% 25.6% 20.5% Swing 15.9% 6.0% 20.5%
Chief Minister before election Fabian Picardo Socialist Labour Elected Chief Minister Fabian Picardo Socialist Labour

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.[3]

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.[4][5] In September 2019, Chief Minister Fabian Picardo formally asked Governor Ed Davis to dissolve parliament and call an election for 17 October 2019.[2] Following the British tradition, elections in Gibraltar conventionally take place on a Thursday.

MPs are 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.[6]

Results

Party				Votes	%	+/–	Seats	%	+/–
	Alliance		Gibraltar Socialist Labour Party	58,576	37.00	–10.8	7	41.2	0
			Liberal Party of Gibraltar	24,546	15.50	–5.1	3	17.6	0
			Total Alliance	83,122	52.50	–15.9	10	58.8	0
	Gibraltar Social Democrats			40,453	25.55	–6.0	6	35.3	–1
	Together Gibraltar			32,455	20.50	+20.5	1	5.9	+1
	Independents			2,298	1.45	+1.4	0	0.0	0
Total				158,328	100	–	17	100	0
Valid votes				16,767	97.85
Invalid/blank votes				368	2.15
Total votes cast				17,135	100
Registered voters/turnout				24,189	70.84
Source: Parliament of Gibraltar, Gibraltar Parliament General Election, Registered

By candidate

Candidate		Party	Votes	Notes
	Fabian Picardo	GSLP	9,961	Elected
	Joseph Garcia	LPG	9,672	Elected
	John Cortes	GSLP	9,003	Elected
	Albert Isola	GSLP	8,502	Elected
	Joseph Bossano	GSLP	8,374	Elected
	Gilbert Licudi	GSLP	8,293	Elected
	Steven Linares	LPG	7,718	Elected
	Paul Balban	GSLP	7,251	Elected
	Samantha Sacramento	GSLP	7,192	Elected
	Vijay Daryanani	LPG	7,156	Elected
	Marlene Hassan Nahon	TG	5,639	Elected
	Damon Bossino	GSD	4,868	Elected
	Daniel Feetham	GSD	4,842	Elected
	Keith Azopardi	GSD	4,711	Elected
	Roy Clinton	GSD	4,342	Elected
	Elliott Phillips	GSD	4,165	Elected
	Edwin Reyes	GSD	3,840	Elected
	Craig Sacarello	TG	3,805
	Alfred Ballester	GSD	3,681
	Joelle Ladislaus	GSD	3,484
	Trevor Hammond	GSD	3,451
	Siân Jones	TG	3,345
	John Montegriffo	TG	3,158
	Orlando Yeats	GSD	3,069
	Kamlesh Khubchand Daswani	TG	3,035
	Neil Samtani	TG	2,889
	Daniel Ghio	TG	2,780
	Erika Pozo	TG	2,640
	Jackie Anderson	TG	2,619
	Tamsin Suarez	TG	2,545
	Robert Vasquez	Independent	1,460
	JC Pons	Independent	838
Source: Parliament of Gibraltar, Together Gibraltar Candidates

Notes

1. Marlene Hassan Nahon was elected as a GSD MP in 2015 but resigned from the party in 2016 and won her seat for Together Gibraltar in the 2019 election.

References

1. "2015 election results". Gibraltar Parliament. 27 November 2015. Archived from the original on 1 December 2015. Retrieved 18 December 2015.
2. "General election called for 17th October". Gibraltar Broadcasting Corporation. 16 September 2019. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
3. "Picardo celebrates third consecutive election win". Gibraltar Broadcasting Corporation. 17 October 2019. Archived from the original on 18 October 2019. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
4. "Official text of the Gibraltar Constitution Order 2006" (PDF). gibraltarlaws.gov.gi. 14 December 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 November 2012. Retrieved 1 September 2013.
5. "Reporting of the Proceedings of the Gibraltar Parliament" (PDF). parliament.gi. 21 December 2011. Retrieved 1 September 2013.
6. Gibraltar heads to the polls amid no-deal Brexit fears