Nov 27 – GSLP-Libs Set For Government After Massive Win
Gibraltar is set for four more years of GSLP-Liberal Alliance Government after the party secured a massive and unequivocal electoral win over the GSD.
The Alliance trounced the GSD at the polls with the party securing 68% of the vote to the GSD’s 31%.
It is the biggest electoral win since the GSLP beat the GSD in 1992 and the first time in Gibraltar’s political history that candidates have broken through the 10,000 vote barrier.
Alliance Leader Fabian Picardo, who will now serve a second four-year term as Gibraltar’s Chief Minister, said the result was the best birthday present his party could have received ahead of its 40-year anniversary.
Daniel Feetham, the GSD Leader, accepted defeat but said the GSD vision would survive this electoral result.
RESULTS BY PERCENTAGE
Karnani, Vasquez and White Left Out
The three GSD candidates with the fewest votes who therefore failed to win a seat in Parliament were: Kim Karnani Santos, Robert Vasquez and Chris White.
Lowest Turnout Since 1980
This year’s elections saw the lowest turnout for a general election in Gibraltar since 1980 in what is being regarded by political commentators as a sign of voter apathy and an increasing sense of disillusionment with the local political class.
Overall, at the end of polling at 10pm yesterday, turnout was only 70% of the electorate which represents a 12% drop compared to the 2011 contest where 83% of those eligible to vote did so.
Leaders’ Speeches
Rather than basking in the triumph of a big electoral win, the GSLP-Liberal Leader Fabian Picardo was humble:
“We won this huge majority through our service to our people…every day of the next four years will be devoted entirely to the most humble service of our people because our reaction to this result is humility, humility and humility,” he said.
He hit out at the GSD’s campaign saying that: “Neither the untrue and reckless spectre of terrorism nor the untrue spectre of potential bankruptcy have been able to skew the clear vision of the people of Gibraltar.”
Mr Picardo said his team had the “moral authority” of representing such a large majority of people adding that this strong mandate placed “a greater burden of responsibility” on his party.
He said his party would not be “deluded” by the scale of its victory and he offered the GSD Leader an “olive branch” while adding that the GSD had “repeated a lie” which had been rejected by the “sound judgement” of the electorate.
Daniel Feetham, the GSD Leader, accepted the heavy defeat in an emotional and deeply personal address.
“Even though we have lost the election, the values and principles of the GSD will prevail into the next election. I guarantee you that I will be working as hard as I possibly can to ensure that we have the best chance of victory the next time round,” he said.
Mr Feetham was visibly moved when addressing his wife and children and highlighting the strain that a political life places on one’s family.
“You have been the bedrock of my life,” he said.
Mr Feetham warned that there were “difficult times ahead” for Gibraltar and he urged people from across the political spectrum to “join in prayer” so that Mr Picardo be able to guide Gibraltar “safely and securely” for the next four years.
He offered to work together with Mr Picardo despite political differences.
Both leaders expressed their thanks to election agents, helpers, the RGP and all civil servants involved in the election process.
The GSLP-Liberal candidates and their supporters walked up Main Street as day was breaking to chants of “Four more years!”
Swearing In
All ten winning GSLP-Liberal candidates will be sworn in at the Convent at 10:30am this morning by Her Excellency the Governor Allison MacMillan. This will be followed by a press conference by the new Government at Number Six.
Keep checking our site and social media feeds for more details.
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