Jersey - Government
Based on the etymolgy of Jersey, it was the name is of Old Norse origin, but the meaning of the root "Jer(s)" is uncertain; the "-ey" ending means "island". The Government system in this country is the parliamentary democracy (Assembly of the States of Jersey) type and the different Administrative divisions includes: none (British crown dependency); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 12 parishes; Grouville, Saint Brelade, Saint Clement, Saint Helier, Saint John, Saint Lawrence, Saint Martin, Saint Mary, Saint Ouen, Saint Peter, Saint Saviour, Trinity
National symbols
Jersey cow; national colors: red, white.
The flag
The National flag of Jersey has white with a diagonal red cross extending to the corners of the flag; in the upper quadrant, surmounted by a yellow crown, a red shield with three lions in yellow; according to tradition, the ships of Jersey - in an attempt to differentiate themselves from English ships flying the horizontal cross of St. George - rotated the cross to the "X" (saltire) configuration; because this arrangement still resembled the Irish cross of St. Patrick, the yellow Plantagenet crown and Jersey coat of arms were added.
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The National Anthem
| Title | "Isle de Siez Nous" (Island Home) |
|---|---|
| Lyric/music | Gerard LE FEUVRE |
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note: adopted 2008; serves as a local anthem; as a British Crown dependency, "God Save the King" is official (see United Kingdom)
More about the government of Jersey
| Date of Independence | none (British Crown dependency) |
|---|---|
| National holiday | Liberation Day, 9 May (1945) |
| Legal system | the laws of the UK apply where applicable; includes local statutes |
| International law organization participation | |
| Constitution | |
| History | Unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice |
| Amendments | Proposed by a government minister to the Assembly of the States of Jersey, by an Assembly member, or by an elected parish head; passage requires several Assembly readings, a majority vote by the Assembly, review by the UK Ministry of Justice, and approval of the British monarch (Royal Assent) |
| Citizenship | |
| Executive Branch | |
| Chief of state | King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Lieutenant Governor Jerry KYD (since 8 October 2022) |
| Head of government | Chief Minister Lyndon FARNHAM (since 25 January 2024); Bailiff Timothy Le COCQ (since 17 October 2019) |
| Cabinet | Council of Ministers appointed individually by the states |
| Elections/appointments | the monarchy is hereditary; Council of Ministers, including the chief minister, indirectly elected by the Assembly of States; lieutenant governor and bailiff appointed by the monarch |
| Legislative branch | |
| Legislature name | Assembly of the States of Jersey |
| Legislative structure | Unicameral |
| Number of seats | 54 (49 directly elected, 5 appointed) |
| Term in office | 4 years |
| Most recent election date | 6/22/2022 |
| Parties elected and seats per party | BW (35); RJ (10); JLC (2); JA (1); PP (1) |
| Percentage of women in chamber | 42.9% |
| Expected date of next election | 2026 |
| Judicial branch | |
| Highest court(s) | Jersey Court of Appeal (consists of the bailiff, deputy bailiff, and 12 judges); Royal Court (consists of the bailiff, deputy bailiff, 6 commissioners and lay people referred to as jurats, and is organized into Heritage, Family, Probate, and Samedi Divisions); appeals beyond the Court of Appeal are heard by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London) |
| Judge selection and term of office | Jersey Court of Appeal bailiffs and judges appointed by the Crown upon the advice of the Secretary of State for Justice; bailiffs and judges appointed for "extent of good behavior;" Royal Court bailiffs appointed by the Crown upon the advice of the Secretary of State for Justice; commissioners appointed by the bailiff; jurats appointed by the Electoral College; bailiffs and commissioners appointed for "extent of good behavior;" jurats appointed until retirement at age 72 |
| Subordinate courts | Magistrate's Court; Youth Court; Petty Debts Court; Parish Hall Enquiries (a process of preliminary investigation into youth and minor adult offenses to determine need for presentation before a court) |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | |
| Embassy | None (British Crown dependency) |
Key Political parties and their leaders in Jersey
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International organization participation
All Important Facts about Jersey
Want to know more about Jersey? Check all different factbooks for Jersey below.
