Under current election legislation, Senators and Deputies can be barred from office for a range of reasons, including being declared or becoming en désastre (bankrupt), being detained under mental health laws, or being convicted of a corruption offence.
They must also be British citizens or hold dual nationality.
However, the same rules did not apply to the Island’s 12 parish Constables.
The Privileges and Procedures Committee lodged proposals to ‘equalise’ the restrictions and put the same barriers in place for prospective Constables as there are for potential Senators and Deputies.
However, Deputy Montfort Tadier attempted to maintain the status quo and keep the Constables’ seats open to non-British citizens. Deputy Tadier’s amendment was rejected by 27 votes to 16 yesterday.
He said: ‘For me, it is much more important to me that people are committed to Jersey and the community rather than some outdated sense of empire.’
Deputy Tadier argued that the threshold for getting elected should be the only bar to serving in the Assembly and that the States should not be adding greater restrictions that reduce diversity in the Chamber. He has already lodged a proposition for debate next month which would remove the citizenship barrier for prospective Senators and Deputies.
In 2016, Deputy Mike Higgins lodged proposals calling for the Constables to be subject to the same restrictions as other politicians. His proposition was approved by Members last year, but could not be brought into force without the legislation being updated by the PPC.
Constable Len Norman, who chairs the PPC, said: ‘If the States believes that non-British citizens should be eligible they should do it for Senators and Deputies so it applies to all Members – this does not do that.’
Several Members argued that the British citizenship requirement displayed a loyalty to the Crown and a commitment to the Island.
Deputy Jeremy Maçon, meanwhile, suggested that there should be reciprocal agreements, allowing Islanders to stand in other jurisdictions.
Deputy Sam Mézec said that the £1,300 fee to take the citizenship test was a major barrier to acquiring citizenship and that there was nothing to suggest that non-British citizens would be any less capable as politicians than British nationals.
The PPC’s proposals were ultimately approved by 32 votes to seven.
Deputies Geoff Southern, Montfort Tadier, Sam Mézec, Louise Doublet, Russell Labey, Terry McDonald and Peter McLinton voted against the proposition.
