THE right to stand for election to the States Assembly should be extended to non-British citizens, Deputy Montfort Tadier has argued in a proposition that could be debated by Members next month.
Deputy Tadier has asked the Privileges and Procedures Committee to bring forward the necessary law changes to open membership of the States to non-British citizens in time for the Island’s next elections in 2026.
In the report accompanying his proposition, Deputy Tadier says: “Most right-thinking people will probably tell you that they don’t place so much importance on characteristics such as race, nationality, sexual orientation, age or gender when it comes to someone’s potential to do a job; it is what skills, experience and knowledge they have to offer that counts. This should also be the case for political office.”
The Deputy argues that such a change would constitute the latest in a series of steps taken to make Jersey’s institutions more inclusive, diverse and representative of the wider Island community.
He adds that the only test that should be necessary to enter the Assembly as a Constable or Deputy is the electoral test ultimately to be applied by the electorate in their constituencies.
The proposition follows an unsuccessful attempt Deputy Tadier made in 2018 to stop the States closing a loophole that had made it theoretically possible for non-British citizens to become Constables.
States Members decided to act when it was noticed that while Senators and Deputies had to be British citizens, the same requirement did not apply in the case of Constables. Deputy Tadier’s amendment to retain the status quo was defeated by 27 votes to 16.
