Gibraltar Social Democrats
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This article needs additional citations for verification. (October 2008) |
| Gibraltar Social Democrats | |
|---|---|
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| Leader | Daniel Feetham |
| Founded | 1989 |
| Merger of | Gibraltar Labour Party (2005) |
| Headquarters | College Lane, Gibraltar |
| Ideology | Social democracy [1][2][3] |
| Political position | Centre-left[4] |
| Colours | Blue and yellow |
| Parliament |
7 / 17
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| Website | |
| www.gsd.gi | |
The Gibraltar Social Democrats, abbreviated to GSD, is a social democratic[5][6][7]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. In January of 2013, Caruana announced his stepping down as leader of the GSD and Leader of the Opposition. Daniel Feetham was elected on the 4th 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.
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History [edit]
The party emerged after the collapse of the Association for the Advancement of Civil Rights. In its first election, in 1992, the party won 20.2% of the vote, giving it seven seats in the fifteen-seat Gibraltar Parliament.
At the 2000 election, the Social Democrats won eight of fifteen seats.
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.
At the 2007 election to the Gibraltar Parliament, the GSD polled 49.33% of the vote and were returned 10 (out of 17) members, the standard number required to run the legislature under the current constitution.
Policy [edit]
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. It has traditionally been less hostile in its attitude to Spain than the Gibraltar Socialist Labour Party.[8]
Footnotes [edit]
- ^ http://www.gsdlive.gi/daniel-feetham-is-new-gsd-party-leader
- ^ http://www.change.gi/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Hansard-17-June-2010-Budget.pdf (Page 162)
- ^ http://www.chronicle.gi/headlines_details.php?id=27955
- ^ http://www.chronicle.gi/headlines_details.php?id=27955
- ^ http://www.gsdlive.gi/daniel-feetham-is-new-gsd-party-leader
- ^ http://www.change.gi/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Hansard-17-June-2010-Budget.pdf (Page 162)
- ^ http://www.chronicle.gi/headlines_details.php?id=27955
- ^ 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 [edit]
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