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Guernsey Election 2025: Eighteen deputies re-elected

Guernsey Election 2025: Eighteen deputies re-elected

BBC News6 hours ago

The people of Guernsey have elected the island's next government, after the returning officer announced the 38 People's Deputies elected to the next States.Deputy Lindsay de Sausmarez topped the poll as the only candidate who was picked by more than half of the island's voters.She said she was "quite stunned" by the result and was "really pleased" the number of women in the assembly was increasing from 8 to 11.High-profile deputies to lose their seats included former chief minister Peter Ferbrache and Andrea Dudley-Owen, President of Education, Sport and Culture.
De Sausmarez, President of Environment and Infrastructure, got 10,721 votes, meaning 54.47% of voters had her on their ballot paper.She said she would be back at Beau Sejour, where the count took place, in the evening to see a play, but hoped to "pop home for some cake" before hand.
Eighteen current deputies were re-elected, with 17 first-time candidates becoming deputies-elect in the next States of Guernsey.There will be 11 women in the new States, with new female deputies include Sally Rochester, Jennifer Strachan, Munazza Malik, Jayne Ozanne, Haley Camp and Rhona Humphries.Former deputy Sarah Hansmann Rouxel has also been returned to the States.
The 2025 election was expected by many to be a referendum on the Goods and Service Tax (GST).While other priorities, such as housing, health and education have also been prominent, the makeup of the new States is broadly anti-GST.Half of Guernsey's next assembly - 19 in total - told the BBC they were firmly against GST or GST+, a package of tax reforms.A further eight said they wanted to explore other options before ratifying the last States' decision to introduce the new tax, but would consider GST+ as a last resort.In November, the States approved working on tax reforms including a 5% GST, lower income tax rates for earnings under £30,000 and social security reform, to start in 2027.

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