Next Gibraltar general election
 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||
All 17 seats in the Gibraltar Parliament 9 seats needed for a majority | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||
General elections will be held in Gibraltar by 8 March 2028 to elect all 17 members to the sixth Gibraltar Parliament.
Background
[edit]Before the 2023 elections, Chief Minister Fabian Picardo announced that if elected, his fourth term as Chief Minister would be his last, and suggested Gemma Arias-Vasquez (New Minister for Health, Care & Business) to be his successor as leader of the Gibraltar Socialist Labour Party, if elected by the party, thus would become Gibraltar's first female Chief Minister and MP who takes the role without being a party leader, if decided in the general election. Nigel Feeham, the new Minister for Justice, Trade & Industry, has also expressed interest in succeeding Picardo as party leader on social media.[2]
However, on the 5th November, Fabian Picardo reciprocated his retirement plan as GSLP Leader by announcing on GBC that he will be re-standing for the next elections with his original position intact, subject to his party membership's confidence on him in an uncontested AGM. This resulted in Nigel Feetham to rescind for contesting for leadership in the AGM.
Electoral system
[edit]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]
With the first meeting of the current parliament taking place on 10 November 2023, parliament must be dissolved before midnight on 9 November 2027, writs must be issued by 9 December 2027 and an election must take place before 8 March 2028. However, if recent precedent is followed, the Chief Minister is likely to ask the Governor for an early dissolution and an election to take place sometime in October 2027 (four years after the last election). Following the British tradition, elections conventionally take place on a Thursday.
| MP | Party | Parliament role(s) | Seeking re-election? | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joseph Garcia (since 1999) | GSLP–Liberal Alliance (LPG) | Deputy Chief Minister (since 2011) | ||
| Fabian Picardo (since 2003) | GSLP–Liberal Alliance (GSLP) | Chief Minister (since 2011) | Yes | |
| Keith Azopardi (1996-2003; since 2019) | GSD | Leader of Opposition (since 2017) | ||
| Damon Bossino (2011-2015; since 2019) | GSD | Shadow Minister for Housing, Lands & Transport | ||
| Nigel Feetham | GSLP–Liberal Alliance (GSLP) | Minister for Justice, Trade & Industry | ||
| Gemma Arias-Vasquez | GSLP–Liberal Alliance (GSLP) | Minister for Health, Care & Business | ||
| John Cortes (since 2011) | GSLP–Liberal Alliance (GSLP) | Minister for the Environment, Sustainability, Climate Change & Education | ||
| Roy Clinton (since 2015) | GSD | Shadow Minister for Finance & Value for Money (since 2015) | ||
| Craig Sacarello | GSD | Shadow Minister for Business, Trade, Industry, Utilities & Community | ||
| Christian Santos | GSLP–Liberal Alliance (GSLP) | Minister for Equality, Employment, Culture & Tourism | ||
| Patricia Orfila | GSLP–Liberal Alliance (GSLP) | Minister for Housing | ||
| Edwin Reyes (since 2007) | GSD | Shadow Minister for Education, Employment & Culture | ||
| Joelle Ladislaus | GSD | Shadow Minister for Health & Justice | ||
| Leslie Bruzon | GSLP–Liberal Alliance (LPG) | Minister for Industrial Relations, Civil Contingencies & Sport | ||
| Joseph Bossano (since 1972) | GSLP–Liberal Alliance (GSLP) (since 1980) | Minister for Economic Development, Enterprise, Telecommunications & the Gibraltar Savings Bank | ||
| Giovanni Origo | GSD | Shadow Minister for Environment, Tourism, Youth & Equality | ||
| Atrish Sanchez | GSD | Shadow Minister for Care & Opportunity | ||
References
[edit]- ^ a b "2023 election results". Gibraltar Parliament. 12 October 2023. Retrieved 6 November 2023.
- ^ "Picardo says October 12 is his last election, tipping Gemma Arias Vasquez as next GSLP leader". Gibraltar Chronicle. 27 September 2023.
- ^ "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 18 December 2015.
