Disqualifying politicians for serious breaches of the Code of Conduct for elected States Members will be considered, if the Assembly supports a major review of sanctions for misconduct.
Deputy Raluca Kovacs said the current punishments open to the Assembly were “narrow and inflexible” and in need of modernisation.
She has lodged a proposition calling on the Privileges and Procedures Committee, which is responsible for upholding the States Members’ Code of Conduct, to review the options and report back to the Assembly before the end of next year.
This, she said, should include consideration of “disqualification mechanisms and varying lengths of suspension” both paid and unpaid.
Under current States Standing Orders, the Assembly has the power to impose a 28-day suspension without pay, a suspension with pay as a “neutral act” or formally reprimand a Member through a vote of censure.
Deputy Philip Ozouf was recently suspended for 28 days following his conviction for motoring offences earlier this year.
A separate proposition from the PPC to suspend him until the conclusion of a second criminal matter – where the former Treasury Minister has admitted a series of immigration offences – is due to be debated at next week’s sitting.
In her proposition, Deputy Kovacs said: “Jersey’s democratic integrity relies on public confidence in elected representatives.
“The current sanctions framework, while functional, is both narrow and inflexible and the aim of this proposition is to:
- Request PPC to review and modernise Standing Orders;
- Ensure graduated levels of sanctions and recall mechanisms are considered;
- Promote accountability, fairness, and transparency; and
- Reinforce the Assembly’s ethical standards.”
Deputy Kovacs added that her suggested review should include investigating the use of a recall mechanism – whereby voters could remove a politician under certain circumstances.
She also said PPC should determine an appropriate appeals process and give clear criteria as to what constitutes major and minor breaches of the code.
Her proposition is due to be debated during the States sitting beginning on Tuesday 25 November.