Gibraltar Social Democrats
Encyclopedia
The Gibraltar Social Democrats, abbreviated to GSD, is a centre-right
political party
in Gibraltar
.
Their current leader is Peter Caruana
, the Chief Minister of Gibraltar
. The GSD has been the governing party in Gibraltar since 1996.
. 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 fiteen 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.
The party sits on the centre-right
of the political spectrum
.
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
, the principal opposition, and is more open to negotiations.
Centre-right
The centre-right or center-right is a political term commonly used to describe or denote individuals, political parties, or organizations whose views stretch from the centre to the right on the left-right spectrum, excluding far right stances. Centre-right can also describe a coalition of centrist...
political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
.
Their current leader is Peter Caruana
Peter Caruana
Peter Richard Caruana, QC is a Gibraltarian politician, and has been Chief Minister of Gibraltar since 1996, when his party, the Gibraltar Social Democrats , first came to power. His party was re-elected to office in 2000, 2003 and 2007...
, the Chief Minister of Gibraltar
Chief Minister of Gibraltar
The Chief Minister of Gibraltar is the leader of the largest party elected to the Gibraltar Parliament, and is formally appointed by the Governor of Gibraltar, representative of the British Crown.-List of Chief Ministers:...
. The GSD has been the governing party in Gibraltar since 1996.
History
The party emerged after the collapse of the Association for the Advancement of Civil RightsAssociation for the Advancement of Civil Rights
The Association for the Advancement of Civil Rights is a now defunct political party in Gibraltar.Like all Gibraltar political parties, it opposed transfer of sovereignty over Gibraltar from the United Kingdom to Spain...
. 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 fiteen seats.
The party merged with the Gibraltar Labour Party
Gibraltar Labour Party
The Gibraltar Labour Party was a political party in Gibraltar. They described themselves as a progressive socialist organisation and stated that their formation was prompted by the need for a strong opposition to the government...
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
Keith Azopardi
Keith Azopardi is a Gibraltarian lawyer and politician, and leader of the Progressive Democratic Party He was born in Gibraltar on 6 June 1967 and was called to the Bars of England, Wales and Gibraltar in 1990...
and executive member Nick Cruz, who went on to form the Progressive Democratic Party
Progressive Democratic Party (Gibraltar)
The Progressive Democratic Party is a political party from Gibraltar established in June 2006 by Gibraltarian lawyer and former Gibraltar Social Democrat Deputy Chief Minister, Keith Azopardi....
.
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
Centre-right
The centre-right or center-right is a political term commonly used to describe or denote individuals, political parties, or organizations whose views stretch from the centre to the right on the left-right spectrum, excluding far right stances. Centre-right can also describe a coalition of centrist...
of the political spectrum
Political spectrum
A political spectrum is a way of modeling different political positions by placing them upon one or more geometric axes symbolizing independent political dimensions....
.
The party supports the current constitutional status of Gibraltar
Disputed status of Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory, near the southernmost tip of the Iberian peninsula, which is the subject of a disputed irredentist claim by Spain....
as an autonomous
Autonomy
Autonomy is a concept found in moral, political and bioethical philosophy. Within these contexts, it is the capacity of a rational individual to make an informed, un-coerced decision...
British overseas territory
British overseas territories
The British Overseas Territories are fourteen territories of the United Kingdom which, although they do not form part of the United Kingdom itself, fall under its jurisdiction. They are remnants of the British Empire that have not acquired independence or have voted to remain British territories...
and is opposed to any proposal of joint British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
–Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
sovereignty
Sovereignty
Sovereignty is the quality of having supreme, independent authority over a geographic area, such as a territory. It can be found in a power to rule and make law that rests on a political fact for which no purely legal explanation can be provided...
. It has traditionally been less hostile in its attitude to Spain than the Gibraltar Socialist Labour Party
Gibraltar Socialist Labour Party
The Gibraltar Socialist Labour Party is the oldest surviving active political party in Gibraltar. Its grass roots are deep in the Trade Union Movement, as its founder and former leader Joe Bossano was the District Officer of the Transport and General Workers Union...
, the principal opposition, and is more open to negotiations.