MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Gibraltar election November 27

Gibraltar will be going to the polls on November 27th. The dissolution of the House of Assembly by Governor Sir Francis Richards “at the Chief Minister's request” was the starting gun that sets the race for the biggest prize in local politics: 6 Convent Place.
Nomination papers must be delivered at the House of Assembly not later than noon on Thursday November 6 2003.

With two consecutive victories since 1996 the Gibraltar Social Democrats (GSD) is tipped for a comfortable return to office under the leadership of Chief Minister Peter Caruana.

The main opposition party the GSLP/Liberals is keen to present a renewed and invigorated line-up after two successive election defeats. Despite the doubts expressed by some members of the Joe Bossano side of the alliance in past months, senior party members are quite happy that the relationship has worked well and that the agreed formula of 5+3 will be retained for the forthcoming elections.

The unicameral House of Assembly has 18 seats, 15 elected by popular vote, one appointed for the Speaker, and two ex officio members. The last election was held 10 February 2000 with the following results, percent of vote: GSD 58%, GSLP 41%; seats by party - GSD 8, GSLP 7.

Liberal Party leader Joseph Garcia has welcomed the calling of a General Election for 27 November. "We have been preparing for it for many months and it is good to finally have a date. It is interesting to note that the elections fall on the anniversary date of the signing of the Brussels agreement in 1984, which has accounted for many of the problems that Gibraltar continues to face," said Dr Garcia.

November 7, 2002 the government of Gibraltar called a referendum which resulted in 99% of Gibraltarians rejecting the concept of Anglo-Spanish joint sovereignty over the Rock as set out by the British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw as a British Government aim of policy at the House of Commons on July 12, 2002.