General elections were held in Gibraltar on 12 October 2023 to elect all 17 members of the fifth Gibraltar Parliament.[2] 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 (one from the Alliance and one from the non-contesting party, Together Gibraltar).
Background
On 24 August 2020 it was announced that Government MP and Minister, Gilbert Licudi, would resign as Minister and remain as MP backbencher. Later, on 17 July 2023, he announced he would step down for re-election as MP. On 14 June 2023 it was announced that Together Gibraltar leader and her party's sole MP, Marlene Hassan-Nahon (daughter of Hassans' founder & Gibraltar's first Mayor and Chief Minister, Sir Joshua Hassan), would not stand for the elections and would leave politics by then.[3] On 5 September 2023, ongoing negotiations between Together Gibraltar and the GSD to form an electoral pact were finally abandoned.[4] On 13 September 2023, it was announced that GSD MP, Elliott Phillips, would not stand for re-election and that Robert Vazquez will return as an independent MP candidate. On 15 September 2023, it was announced that Paul Balban, Albert Isola and Samantha Sacramento, Government MPs and Ministers, would not stand for re-election. On 16 September, it was announced that GSD MP, Daniel Feetham, would not stand for re-election. On 17 September, the GSLP have announced their new four candidates for the elections: Hassans' Legal Partner & Head of Financial Services, Nigel Feetham KC (brother of outgoing GSD MP, Daniel Feetham); former teacher and Miss Gibraltar 1974, Patricia Orfila; Director of the Gibraltar Academy of Music & Performing Arts (GAMPA) and former Mayor of Gibraltar, Christian Santos & Hassans' Legal Partner and Solicitor, Gemma Arias-Vasquez.
On 18 September, it was announced that Together Gibraltar would not contest the election. Interim Leader, Nicky Calamaro, said it was because of lack of support from the voters since Marlene's departure, resulting on TG to restart itself as a pressure group to regain trust of the people, but he didn't rule out the possibility of being an independent candidate. [5] On that same night, the GSD announced their 6 new candidates with 3 women ( TSN's Senior Law Associate and Barrister & GSD's executive member and 2019 election candidate Joelle Ladislaus; RGP's ((Royal Gibraltar Police)) Senior Compliance Officer, Head of Special Needs Action Group ((SNAG)) and GSD executive, Atrish Sanchez and inaugural former Vice-Chancellor and CEO of University of Gibraltar, Daniella Tilbury); 1 Moroccan/Moorish descent Muslim male & GSD executive and Future member (Youseff El Hana); GSD executive (Formerly Together Gibraltar executive member) and candidate of TG in 2019 (Craig Sacarello) and 1 GSD Future member and Isolas' Law Associate, Giovanni Origo. On 19 September, it was announced that Liberal Party of Gibraltar MP and Minister, Steven Linares, would not stand for re-election, after 23 years of being an MP, and would be replaced by GHA's (Gibraltar Health Authority) Emergency Medical Technician, Leslie Bruzon of the same party.
On 14 September both businessman Allan Asquez and retired teacher Patricia Orfila put their names forward for GSLP executives to consider them as candidates. Allan said he had been motivated by issues including social housing and secure employment, especially for people with learning difficulties. However, on 17 September, shortly before the candidate selection process, he announced that he had withdrawn his application and left the party. Speaking on the 'Gibraltar Today' section on GBC'sRadio Gibraltar, he alleged that he did what he did because the party's leader and Chief Minister, Fabian Picardo, had allegedly conveyed to him that he did not want Allan to be selected and told the executive members not to vote for him, arguing that it broke the democratic process selection. He also alleged that if the executive members voted for him, Fabian Picardo would step down as party leader and/or Chief Minister. He also allegedly stated that he was threatened by Picardo that he would seek him as a backbencher rather than a minister if elected into Government.
On 21 September GSD candidate Youssef El Hana apologised, on GBC's Viewpoint, to Gibraltar's Jewish community for 'offensive language' used on social media from 2018, regarding national and religious conflicts between Palestine and Israel. Reacting to his apology, the Chair of the Charity, Learning from Auschwitz Gibraltar, Naomi Hassan-Weisfogel, said that he marched in the UK calling for the destruction of Israel in support of Palestine and that he had made these offensive posts for months, for which the march, Youseff denies.[6]
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.[7]
On 12 September 2023, Chief Minister Fabian Picardo formally asked Governor Sir David Steel to dissolve parliament and an election to take place on 12 October 2023.[8]
a. Poll published prior to the official declaration of competing candidates.
b. In both these polls published by the joint GBC/Chronicle, the following candidates would not be elected: Joe Bossano (GSLP/Liberals), Vijay Daryanani (GSLP/Liberals), Youssef El Hana (GSD), & Robert Vasquez (Independent).
In boththese polls,the percentages of votes either not used (or were left blank) have not been included in the overall total percentage count.
c. No exact number of votes or sample size were mentioned in this particular poll or respective article. In this poll, the following candidates would not be elected (in the following order from higher to lower rankings): Giovanni Origo (GSD), Youssef El Hana (GSD), Vijay Daryanani (GSLP/Liberals), & Robert Vasquez (Independent)
In the initial opinion poll by GBC (released on 17 September 2023), the issues likely to influence votes are reported as the following:[13]
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