Gibraltar Social Democrats

Gibraltar Social Democrats
Leader Daniel Feetham
Founded 1989
Merger of Gibraltar Labour Party (2005)
Headquarters College Lane, Gibraltar
Ideology Social democracy[1]
Historically:Conservatism[2][3][4][5]
Political position

Centre-left[6]

Historically: Centre-right[7][8][9][10][11][12][13]
Colours Blue and yellow
Parliament
7 / 17
Website
www.gsdlive.gi
Politics of Gibraltar
Political parties
Elections

The Gibraltar Social Democrats, abbreviated to GSD, is a social-democratic[1][6][14] political party in Gibraltar.

The GSD was the governing party in Gibraltar from 1996 under Leader and former Chief Minister Peter Caruana until their electoral defeat in 2011, securing four successive terms in office.

History

The party emerged after the collapse of the Association for the Advancement of Civil Rights as the main opposition to the Gibraltar Socialist Labour Party. Traditionally viewed as a party of the right of centre due partly to its conservative social policies, the GSD have since shifted to the left of centre.

The party merged with the Gibraltar Labour Party in 2005, retaining the GSD name. The merger was unpopular with many members of both parties, causing some high profile members to resign their membership, including deputy leader Keith Azopardi and executive member Nick Cruz, who went on to form the Progressive Democratic Party.

In January 2012, Peter Caruana (who was the then Leader of the Opposition), announced he was stepping down as leader and taking up a backbench position until his 4 year term was over. Caruana declared that he would not fight the next election and will be stepping out of politics completely. Daniel Feetham was elected on 4 February 2012 as Leader of the party by majority vote of the executive.

The leadership was contested by two GSD MPs: Daniel Feetham and Damon Bossino. This was the first time a party's leadership was to be democratically contested between two candidates.

Elections

In the 1991 by-election to the Gibraltar House of Assembly, following the resignation of GSD Leader Peter Montegriffo, Peter Caruana was elected party leader and won 61.81% of the popular vote and the seat.[15]

In the 1992 elections to the Gibraltar House of Assembly, the party won 20.2% of the popular vote and 7 seats.

In the 1996 elections to the Gibraltar House of Assembly, the party won 52.20% of the popular vote and 8 seats.

In the 2000 elections to the Gibraltar House of Assembly, the party won 58.4% of the popular vote and 8 seats.

In the 2003 elections to the Gibraltar House of Assembly, the party won 51.5% of the popular vote and 8 seats.

In the 2007 elections to the Gibraltar Parliament, the party won 49.33% of the popular vote and 10 seats.

In the 2011 elections to the Gibraltar Parliament, the party won 46.76% of the popular vote and 7 seats, unable to secure a fifth term.

In the 2013 by-election to the Gibraltar Parliament, the GSD candidate Marlene Hassan Nahon won 39.95% of the popular vote.

Policy

Headquarters of the Gibraltar Social Democrats in College Lane, Gibraltar.
Former Leader and founder of the GSD, Peter Caruana, QC

The party sits on the centre-left of the political spectrum, having improved the healthcare system and built much affordable housing (most recently Waterport Terraces and Mid-harbour Estate) during their time in office.

The party supports the current constitutional status of Gibraltar as an autonomous British overseas territory and is opposed to any proposal of joint British–Spanish sovereignty. The GSD has traditionally been less hostile in its attitude to Spain than the rival Gibraltar Socialist Labour Party.[16]

Footnotes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Parties and Elections in Europe: The database about parliamentary elections and political parties in Europe, by Wolfram Nordsieck
  2. ↑ Anja Kellermann (April 2002). A New New English Language, Politics and Identity in Gibraltar. BoD – Books on Demand. pp. 184–. ISBN 978-3-8311-2368-1. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  3. ↑ Thomas M. Wilson; Hastings Donnan (2005). Culture and Power at the Edges of the State: National Support and Subversion in European Border Regions. LIT Verlag Münster. pp. 92–. ISBN 978-3-8258-7569-5. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  4. ↑ Gibraltar looks to end isolation from Spain - World - News - The Independent
  5. ↑ Gibraltar election fever
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Gibraltar Chronicle - The Independent Daily First Published 1801
  7. ↑ Peter Gold (January 2005). Gibraltar: British Or Spanish?. Routledge. pp. 170–. ISBN 978-0-415-34795-2. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
  8. ↑ Gibraltar's leader wins third term | World news | The Guardian
  9. ↑ Gibraltar History, Language and Culture
  10. ↑ Gibraltar voters set to oust Social Democrats < Spanish news | Expatica Spain
  11. ↑ Gibraltar gets socialist Chief Minister | Trade Bridge Consultants
  12. ↑ PROFILE - Solid Rock: Peter Caruana | European Voice
  13. ↑ Government in Gibraltar
  14. ↑ GSDLive » Daniel Feetham is new GSD party leader
  15. ↑ http://www.parliament.gi/images/parliamentary_election_results/by_election_results_16_may_1991.pdf
  16. ↑ Donnan, Hastings (2005). Culture and Power at the Edges of the State: National Support and Subversion in European Border Regions. Münster: LIT Verlag Münster. p. 92. ISBN 978-3-8258-7569-5.

External links