Politics of Jersey
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Politics of the Bailiwick of Jersey takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic British Crown Dependency, whereby the Chief Minister of Jersey is the head of government. The government of Jersey is composed of the Queen of the United Kingdom, the Lieutenant Governor, the Bailiff, the Assembly of the States, and since December 2005, the Chief Minister of Jersey and his cabinet. Elizabeth II's traditional title as head of state is that of Duke of Normandy, but she does not hold that title formally. She reigns by her position as Queen over a crown dependency. Her representative on the island is the Lieutenant Governor, Lieutenant General Andrew Ridgway who has little but a token involvement in island politics.
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[edit] States of Jersey
- Main article: States of Jersey
The legislative power of the Bailiwick rests with the Assembly of the States, of which the Bailiff is the President, or presiding officer. The Queen appoints the Bailiff, also chief judge, to a term that expires approximately when the Bailiff attains the age of seventy years. A Deputy Bailiff is also appointed to a similar term.
It includes 53 elected members - 12 senators (elected for 6-year terms), 12 constables (heads of parishes elected for 3-year terms), 29 deputies (elected for 3-year terms); the Bailiff and the Deputy Bailiff (appointed to preside over the assembly and having a casting vote in favour of the status quo when presiding); and 3 non-voting members - the Dean of Jersey, the Attorney General, and the Solicitor General all appointed by the Crown.
In addition to the elected members, the Assembly also includes three members who may speak but not vote. The Attorney General and Solicitor General are appointed by the Queen as officers of the state and serve in the Assembly ex-officio. Also, the Dean of Jersey, the senior Jersey clergyman of the Church of England, has a seat in the Assembly ex-officio. Additionally, despite not being a member of the Assembly, the Lieutenant Governor may address the body, but usually does so only on taking and leaving office. The Queen as head of state appoints the Lieutenant Governor, who serves as the Queen's representative and as commander of the Armed Forces, for such a term as she pleases. The Lieutenant Governor serves a ceremonial role.
According to constitutional convention United Kingdom legislation may be extended to Jersey by Order in Council at the request of the Island's government. Whether an Act of the United Kingdom Parliament may expressly apply to the Island as regards matters of self-government, or whether this historic power is now in abeyance, is a matter of legal debate. The States of Jersey Law 2005 established that no United Kingdom Act or Order in Council may apply to the Bailiwick without being referred to the States of Jersey.
Responsibility for government departments was historically exercised by Presidents of Committees. However following the 2005 elections a ministerial system was introduced with a Council of Ministers headed by a Chief Minister, responsible to the States Assembly.
[edit] Politics of the Parishes
- Main Article: Politics of the Parishes
[edit] Who's who in Jersey Politics
- Main Article: Who's Who in Jersey Politics
[edit] Political parties and elections
- The following election results include names of political parties. See for additional information about parties the List of political parties in Jersey. An overview on elections and election results is included in Elections in Jersey.
Elections for Senators and Deputies occur at fixed three-yearly intervals. Elections for Senator (Senatorials) occur in October, with elections for Deputy (nicknamed Deputorials) taking place a month later in November.
Sitting Deputies are able to stand for election as Senator without risking their Deputorial seat. Senators who lose their seats in the Senatorial election are able to attempt a comeback by standing for Deputy in the following election. Senatorials are generally better contested than Deputorials, as it is common for first-time candidates to gain an electoral profile and test their electoral appeal in an Islandwide vote and then, following the Senatorial results, to choose which, if any, constituency to contest as Deputy.
The election for Senators was held on 19 October 2005. 6 seats were available. Both declared parties put forward candidates. The Centre Party fared slightly better, narrowly missing election, but the Jersey Democratic Alliance was likewise rejected by the electorate. Two candidates from the Centre Party were subsequently elected as independents in the Deputies poll on 23 November, three JDA members were elected also as independents. Senator Stuart Syvret is sometimes reported as in the Jersey Green Party.
| Members | Seats |
|---|---|
| Elected Senators 16 October 2002 / non-partisans | 6 |
| Elected Senators 19 October 2005 / non-partisans | 6 |
| Elected Deputies 23 November 2005/ non-partisans | 29 |
| Ex officio members with voting rights (Connétables) | 12 |
| Ex officio members without voting rights (Bailiff, Attorney General, Solicitor General and Dean) | 4 |
| Total (turnout %) | 57 |
- More info: Jersey general elections, 2005
[edit] Political pressure groups
Jersey, as a polity predominated by independents has always had a number of local pressure groups. Many ad-hoc lobby groups form in response to a single issue and then dissolve once the concerns have been dealt with. However there has been an increasing number of pressure groups actively working to influence government decisions on a number of issues.
- Royal Jersey Agricultural and Horticultural Society
- Institute of Directors
- Jersey Chamber of Commerce
- Jersey Finance
- Progress Jersey
- Jersey Youth Reform Team
- Jersey Rights Association
[edit] Legal system
The legal system is based on Norman customary law (including the Clameur de Haro), statute and English law; justice is administered by the Royal Court. There is no separation of judiciary and legislature as the Bailiff is the head of both.
Jersey lawyers in court are known as Advocates. The only Queen's Councillors allowed to speak before the court are the Bailiff, Deputy Bailiff Attorney-General and Solicitor-General.
Since the first law was drafted wholly in the English language in 1928, Jersey law has been drafted in English but several laws remain in French. Much of the ceremonial business of the court is still conducted in French, including the prayer. The monopoly of audience of the Jersey Bar and the usage of the official languages are subjects of some controversy.
Appeals against decisions made in the Royal Court may be made to the Court of Appeal of Jersey and thence to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council.
[edit] International organization participation
- Main article: Jersey International Organisation Participation
Jersey has signed up to the provisions of the European Convention of Human Rights, though this has been achieved through Article 53 as a dependency of the United Kingdom.
[edit] History
Jersey is a state in which political parties do not currently play an important role. This is likely to change with the introduction of ministerial government expected in 2006.
Historically, two parties dominated Jersey politics throughout the 19th century and into the 20th century: the Rose Party and the Laurel Party.
Originating in the 1770s, the Jeannot party formed around the radical lawyer and Constable, Jean Dumaresq, who opposed the cabal of Jurats who surrounded Lieutenant-Bailiff Charles Lemprière (whose supporters became known as the Charlot party).
The Jeannots rapidly adopted the nickname of Magots (cheese mites) after their opponents boasted of aiming to crush them like mites.
The Charlots and Magots contested power at elections until in 1819 the progressive Magots adopted the rose as their emblem, while the conservative Charlots wore laurel leaves. The symbolism soon became entrenched to the extent that gardens displayed their owners' allegiances, and pink or green paintwork also showed political sympathies. Still today in Jersey, the presence of established laurels or rose gardens in old houses gives a clue to the past party adherence of former owners, and the chair of the Constable of Saint Helier in the Assembly Room of the Parish Hall still sports the carved roses of a former incumbent.
By the time of the introduction of the secret ballot in 1891, party politics had waned. Blues and Reds contested local elections into the 1920s, but Islandwide party politics lay dormant until the post-Occupation elections under the new Constitution of 1948 saw a struggle for dominance between the Jersey Democratic Movement and the Jersey Progressive Party. Having achieved the political reforms it advocated the Progressive Party soon folded as an organisation, while the Democratic Movement, incorporating the tiny Communist Party of Jersey, continued in existence as a campaigning social movement until the late 20th century.
The Jersey Green Party succeeded in having candidates elected in the 1980s. There was difficulties of maintaining a successful party structure in a consensus government system. Senator Stuart Syvret is often reported to be a Green and represents the Jersey Greens in the Green Islands Network <ref name="greens" />.
With the prospect of ministerial government and the creation of an executive and opposition, the Jersey Democratic Alliance was formed in April 2005 at a mass rally with the intention of fielding candidates in the elections of October and November 2005. The Centre Party was also formed and declared candidates in the 2005 general elections.
[edit] References
<references />
- Balleine's History of Jersey, Marguerite Syvret and Joan Stevens (1998) ISBN 1-86077-065-7
- Sir Phillip Bailhache and the Cry for Constitutional reform http://www.jerseylegalinfo.je/Publications/jerseylawreview/Oct99/cry_for_constitutional_reform.aspx
