Three parties have been created in Guernsey for the election – the Alliance Party, the Guernsey Party and the Guernsey Partnership of Independents – all of which were registered this year.
And Housing Minister Sam Mézec – who is the political head of Jersey’s only party, Reform Jersey – believes that the Guernsey election could lead to a similar push towards party politics here ahead of the Island’s next general election in 2022.
Some independent Guernsey candidates have expressed concerns that they are ‘starting from a disadvantaged position’ to raise their own profiles without being affiliated to a party.
On social media, Senator Mézec said that it ‘sounds like the penny might be dropping’.
Reform Jersey has five elected Members, with Deputies Geoff Southern, Montfort Tadier, Rob Ward and Carina Alves sitting alongside Senator Mézec in the States Assembly.
Speaking to the JEP, the minister said: ‘There were rumours of a Conservative party being formed but it never seems to happen, probably because such parties fall apart behind closed doors.’
The Senator said that Guernsey’s election, which this year will see all 38 of the island’s elected politicians chosen in one islandwide district, could cause some States Members to ‘take notice’ of the benefits of a party-based system if individual candidates were shown to be less successful.
‘I think it could influence Jersey politicians to form a political party. Jersey should take notice – we are inevitably headed towards party politics,’ said Senator Mézec. ‘Countries like Gibraltar are good examples of thriving party politics that provide things such as a higher voter turnout because constituents are given something different to choose between.’
Senator Mézec added that party politics were not only more effective in the campaign process, but also in passing
decisions and governing efficiently.
‘If we had introduced party politics ten years ago, the new hospital would have been built by now,’ he said.
