Gibraltar and the Brexit referendum

Abstract

When the British Government decided to hold a referendum on the UK’s membership of the European Union (EU), which took place in June 2016, Gibraltarians participated in the vote by virtue of both the inclusion of the territory in the UK’s membership when it joined the European Community in 1972 and also its participation in European Parliamentary elections from 2004. Following a united campaign, the residents of Gibraltar voted by nearly 96% to remain in the EU; but, by a small margin, the UK as a whole voted to leave. As a consequence, not only did Spain raise the issue of joint sovereignty over the territory, but more significantly Gibraltar’s relationship with the EU had to be renegotiated by the UK and the EU, including cooperation with the Spanish Government. The final deal was agreed almost a decade after the referendum and is due to be signed and ratified by summer 2026. It remains to be seen if Gibraltar’s new relationship turns out to be more advantageous than the old one.