Editing Sark (section)

==Politics==<!--Linked from [[Seigneur of Sark]]-->
[[File:Sark-aerial.jpg|thumb|September 2005 aerial view of Sark. North is to the lower left, [[Little Sark]] toward the upper right and [[Brecqhou]] at bottom right.]]

Until the second half of the [[2000s]] Sark was considered the last [[Feudalism|feudal state]] in Europe.<ref name="Milmo 2006">{{cite web | last=Milmo | first=Cahal | title=End of Europe's last fiefdom as Sark votes for democracy | website=The Independent | date=2006-10-04 | url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/end-of-europe-s-last-fiefdom-as-sark-votes-for-democracy-418769.html | access-date=2022-07-08}}</ref> Together with the other [[Channel Islands]], it is the last remnant of the former [[Duchy of Normandy]] still belonging to [[the Crown]]. Sark belongs to the Crown in its own right and has an independent relationship with the Crown through the Lieutenant Governor in Guernsey.<ref name="hansard">{{cite web| url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200809/ldhansrd/lhan90.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200809/ldhansrd/lhan90.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-09 |url-status=live| title=Lords Hansard text for 16 Jun 2009 (pt 0001) | publisher=parliament.uk| access-date=24 July 2013}}</ref> Formally, the Seigneur holds it as a [[fief]] from the Crown, [[Enfeoffment|reenfeoffing]] the landowners on the island with their respective parcels. The political consequences of this construction were abolished in recent years, particularly in the reform of the legislative body, Chief Pleas, which took place in 2008.

Although part of the [[Bailiwick of Guernsey]], Sark is fiscally separate from the rest of the Bailiwick. Together with the islands of Alderney and Guernsey, Sark from time to time approves Bailiwick of Guernsey legislation, which, subject to the approval of all three legislatures, applies in the entire Bailiwick. Legislation cannot be made which applies on Sark without the approval of the Chief Pleas, although recently Chief Pleas has been delegating a number of ordinance-making powers to the States of Guernsey. Such powers are, however, in each case subject to dis-application, or repeal, by the Chief Pleas. By long standing custom, Sark's criminal law has been made by the States of Guernsey, and this custom was put on a statutory basis in Section 4 of the Reform (Sark) Law, 2008, by which Sark delegates criminal law making power to the States of Guernsey.

Sark has its own [[UN M49|United Nations Standard Country or Area Code for Statistical Use]] (680). That code is used for statistical processing purposes by the Statistics Division of the United Nations Secretariat.<ref>United Nations: Standard Country or Area Codes for ISO 3166-2:GG Use [accessed April 25, 2020])</ref>

The [[ISO 3166-1]] code element {{code|CQ}}<ref name="ISO"/> has been exceptionally reserved to refer to Sark. An “exceptionally reserved” code element does not represent a country name in ISO 3166-1, but is reserved for a particular use at the special request of a national ISO member body, government, or international organization (in this case, the [[United Kingdom]]).<ref>{{cite web |title=Glossary for ISO 3166 |url=https://www.iso.org/glossary-for-iso-3166.html}}</ref> Previously Sark was represented by [[ISO 3166-2:GG|Guernsey's country code]] (GG). Sark also fought for 20 years to get the .cq [[country code top-level domain]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=McCarthy |first=Kieren |title=After 20-year battle, Channel island Sark finally earns the right to exist on the internet with its own top-level domain |url=https://www.theregister.com/2020/03/23/sark_cctld_iso/ |access-date=2023-06-18 |website=www.theregister.com |language=en}}</ref>

===Seigneur===
{{Main|Seigneur of Sark}}

[[Christopher Beaumont, 23rd Seigneur of Sark|Christopher Beaumont]] is the current and twenty-third Seigneur of Sark, having inherited the Seigneurie in 2016.

Before the [[Constitution of Sark|constitutional reforms of 2008]], the Seigneur (or Dame in the case of a woman holding the office) was the head of the government of the Isle of Sark. Many of the laws, particularly those related to inheritance and the rule of the Seigneur, had changed little since their promulgation in 1565 under [[Elizabeth I of England]]. For example, the Seigneur held the sole right to keep pigeons or an [[Neutering|unspayed]] dog.<ref name="Caesar" /> The latter right was repealed in 2008.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Control of Dogs (Amendment) (Sark) Ordinance, 2008 |url=https://www.guernseylegalresources.gg/CHttpHandler.ashx?documentid=52611}}</ref>

The Seigneur remains the [[lord of the manor]] for the island, subject only to the [[Monarchy of the United Kingdom|Crown in Right of the Bailiwick of Guernsey]] as [[sovereign]] and [[Homage (feudal)|liege lord]].<ref name="RJCO2010">{{cite web |date=30 March 2012 |title=Review of the Roles of the Jersey Crown officers |url=http://www.gov.je/SiteCollectionDocuments/Government%20and%20administration/R%20Guernsey%20LOs%20Submission%2020100330%20HR%20v1.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171010220559/https://www.gov.je/SiteCollectionDocuments/Government%20and%20administration/R%20Guernsey%20LOs%20Submission%2020100330%20HR%20v1.pdf |archive-date=10 October 2017 |access-date=31 July 2017 |website=States of Jersey}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=De Woolfson |first=Joel |date=21 June 2010 |title=It's a power thing... |newspaper=[[Guernsey Press]] |url=http://www.thisisguernsey.com/2010/06/21/its-a-power-thing/ |access-date=31 July 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110610140928/http://www.thisisguernsey.com/2010/06/21/its-a-power-thing/ |archive-date=10 June 2011}}</ref> With the approval of the [[Lieutenant-Governor of Guernsey]], the Seigneur appoints and dismisses Sark's public officers, including the Seneschal, the Prevot, and the Greffier. The Seignuer as chairperson, together with the Seneschal, the Prevot, and the Greffier, comprise a board of trustees for the acquisition, management, and disposition of all property belonging to Chief Pleas. Likewise, the Seigneur has the right to speak at meetings of Chief Pleas, but not to vote, and the right to veto primary legislation before it is presented for [[royal assent]]. Chief Pleas may nevertheless override this veto by a simple majority of its duly elected counseillers.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.guernseylegalresources.gg/laws/sark/g/government-constitution-and-elections/reform-sark-law-2008/|title=Reform (Sark) Law, 2008|publisher=States of Guernsey|author=Law Officers of the Crown in Right of the Bailiwick of Guernsey|publication-date=1 September 2008|access-date=23 January 2025}}</ref>

===Seneschal===
Until 2013 the [[Seneschal]] of Sark was the head of the Chief Pleas. From 1583 and 1675 judicial functions were exercised by five elected [[jurat]]s and a juge, but since 1675 the Seneschal has also been the judge of the island.

The Seneschal was historically appointed by the Seigneur, but nowadays there is an Appointment Committee consisting of the Seigneur and two other members appointed by the Seigneur.<ref name="Reform law"/>

In 2010, following the decision of the English Court of Appeal, the Chief Pleas decided to split the dual role of the Seneschal.<ref>{{cite web|last=Stevenson|first=Jess |url=http://www.thisisguernsey.com/2010/10/07/seneschal-to-lose-one-of-his-roles/ |title=Seneschal to lose one of his roles |publisher=[[Guernsey Press]] |access-date=21 March 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110611114846/http://www.thisisguernsey.com/2010/10/07/seneschal-to-lose-one-of-his-roles/ |archive-date=11 June 2011 }}</ref> Thus, since 2013 the Chief Pleas has elected its own President, who presides in almost all cases. The Seneschal now presides in Chief Pleas only during the election of the President.

The complete list of all the Seneschals of Sark from 1675 is as follows:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.portalestoria.net/SARK.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100715214932/http://www.portalestoria.net/sark.htm |url-status=usurped |archive-date=15 July 2010 |title=Sark Island |publisher=Portalestoria.net |access-date=7 December 2012}}</ref>

{{div col}}
# Pierre Gibault (15/7/1675–1680)
# Thomas de Beauvoir (1680–1683)
# Phillipe Dumeresq (1683–1702)
# Jean Payne (1702–1707)
# Philippe de Carteret (1707–1744)
# Henri de Carteret (1744–1752)
# Phillipe le Masurier (1752–1777)
# Henri le Masurier (1777–1785)
# Amice le Couteur (1785–1808)
# Jean le Couteur (1808–1812)
# Jean Falle (1812–1830)
# Elie le Masurier (1830–1841)
# Philippe Guille (1841–1851)
# Thomas Godfray (1851–1876)
# William de Carteret (1876–1881)
# Abraham Baker (1881–1891)
# Thomas Godfray (1891–1920)
# Kenneth Campbell (1920–1922)
# Ashby Taylor (1922–1925)
# Frederick de Carteret (1925–1937)
# William Carré (1937–1945)
# William Baker (1945–1969)
# Bernard Jones (1969–1979)
# Hilary Carré (1979–1985)
# Lawrence Philip de Carteret (1985–2000)
# Reginald J. Guille (2000–2013)
# Jeremy la Trobe-Bateman (2013–2021)
# Bethan Owen (2021–2022)
# Victoria Stamps (2022–present)
{{div col end}}

===Tenants===
[[File:Sark Seigneurie.jpg|thumb|The Seigneurie ({{coord|49|26.4|N|2|21.7|W|display=inline|type:isle_scale:10000_region:GB}})]]
Pursuant to the royal [[letters patent]], the Seigneur was to keep the island inhabited by at least 40 armed men.<ref name=BAILII/> Therefore, from his lands, 39 parcels or [[Tenement (law)|tenements]], each sufficient for one family, were subdivided and granted to settlers, the ''tenants''. Later, some of these parcels were dismembered, and parts of the Seigneurial land were sold, creating more parcels.

Originally each head of a parcel-holding family had the right to vote in Chief Pleas, but in 1604 this right was restricted to the 39 original tenements required by the letters patent, the so-called 'Quarantaine Tenements' ({{langx|fr|quarantaine}}: a group of forty). The newer parcels mostly did not have the obligation to bear arms. In 1611 the dismemberment of tenements was forbidden, but the order was not immediately followed.

In Sark, the word ''tenant'' is used (and often pronounced as in French) in the sense of ''feudal landholder'' rather than the common English meaning of ''lessee''. Originally, the word referred to any landowner, but today it is mostly used for a holder of one of the {{lang|fr|Quarantaine}} Tenements.

===Chief Pleas===
{{redirect|Chief Pleas}}
[[File:Sark July 2011 50.jpg|thumb|Meeting place for Chief Pleas and the Court of the Seneschal]]
[[File:Sark Chief Pleas Seal.svg|thumb|Seal of the Chief Pleas]]
Chief Pleas ({{langx|fr|Chefs Plaids}}; [[Sercquiais]]: ''{{lang|nrf|Cheurs Pliaids}}'') is the parliament of Sark. It consists of eighteen members (''{{lang|nrf|conseillers}}''), elected for a period of office of four years. In addition, the Seigneur and a speaker (who is elected by the {{lang|nrf|conseillers}}) are counted as members; but they have no right to vote. The periods of office are shifted, with the period of half the {{lang|nrf|conseillers}} starting in the middle of the periods of the other half. Thus, every second year, nine {{lang|nrf|conseillers}} are elected for the coming four years. The elections are held on the basis of a single multi-member Sark-wide constituency, with the nine candidates receiving most votes being elected. The ''{{lang|nrf|[[Prévôt]]}}'', the ''{{lang|nrf|[[Greffier]]}}'' and the treasurer also attend but are not members; the treasurer may address Chief Pleas on matters of taxation and finance.

However, if there are not more willing candidates than the numbers of positions to fill (including any casual vacancies), then all candidates are declared elected, without any actual election necessary. This happened both in the [[2014 Sark general election|2014]] and the [[2016 Sark general election|2016 elections]] to the Chief Pleas. The last elections were held on [[2024 Sark general election|11 December 2024.]]

Until 2008, the Chief Pleas consisted of the tenants, and twelve deputies of the people as the only representation of the majority, an office introduced in 1922. The Seigneur and the [[Seneschal]] (who presided) were also members of Chief Pleas.

Since 2000, Chief Pleas was working on its own reform, responding to internal and international pressures. On 8 March 2006 by a vote of 25–15 Chief Pleas voted for a new legislature of the Seigneur, the Seneschal, fourteen elected landowners and fourteen elected non-landowners.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sark.info/downloads/government/0603minutes.pdf |title=Minutes Extraordinary meeting of the Chief Pleas held on the 8th day of March, 2006 |page=8 |quote=Proposition 1 |access-date=21 February 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071015022425/http://www.sark.info/downloads/government/0603minutes.pdf |archive-date=15 October 2007 |url-status=dead  |website=sark.info }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://guernseypress.com/news/2006/03/09/sark-set-to-fight-uk-over-tenants/ |title=Sark set to fight UK over tenants |access-date=21 March 2015|website=[[Guernsey Press]]|date=9 March 2006 }}</ref> But it was made plain by the British [[Lord Chancellor]] [[Jack Straw]] that this option was not on the table.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/guernsey/7193632.stm |work=BBC News |title=Deputy's hope for election reform |date=17 January 2008}}</ref>

Offered two options for reform involving an elected legislature, one fully elected, one with a number of seats reserved for elected tenants, 56% of the inhabitants expressed a preference for a totally elected legislature.<ref name="Sark Website Opinion Polls">{{cite web|url=http://www.sark.info/downloads/government/0609ers_opinionresults.pdf |title=Island of Sark – Test of opinion on composition of the Chief Pleas |quote=for 28 Open Seats...234&nbsp;... for 12 Seats for Deputies, 8 Seats for Tenants, 8 Open Seats...184 |date=7 September 2006 |access-date=5 May 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080414141645/http://www.sark.info/downloads/government/0609ers_opinionresults.pdf |archive-date=14 April 2008 |url-status=dead  |website=sark.info }}</ref> Following the poll, Chief Pleas voted on 4 October 2006 to replace the twelve deputies and forty tenants in Chief Pleas by 28 ''{{lang|nrf|conseillers}}'' elected by universal adult suffrage.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sark.info/downloads/government/0610minutes.pdf |title=Minutes of the meeting held in the Assembly Room, Sark on 4 October 2006 |page=3 |access-date=21 February 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071014205508/http://www.sark.info/downloads/government/0610minutes.pdf |archive-date=14 October 2007 |url-status=dead  |website=sark.info}}</ref> This decision was suspended in January 2007 when it was pointed out to Chief Pleas that the 56% versus 44% majority achieved in the opinion poll did not achieve the 60% majority required for the constitutional change.{{Citation needed|date=December 2018}} The decision was replaced by the proposal that Chief Pleas should consist of sixteen tenants and twelve ''{{lang|nrf|conseillers}}'' both elected by universal adult suffrage from 2008 to 2012 and that a binding referendum should then decide whether this composition should be kept or replaced by 28 ''{{lang|nrf|conseillers}}''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sark.info/downloads/government/0704minutes.pdf |title=Minutes of the Easter Meeting of Chief Pleas held in the Assembly Room, Sark on 11–12 April 2007 |pages=4, 7, 13 |access-date=21 February 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071015022707/http://www.sark.info/downloads/government/0704minutes.pdf |archive-date=15 October 2007 |url-status=dead  |website=sark.info }}</ref> This proposal was rejected by the Privy Council and the 28 ''{{lang|nrf|conseiller}}'' option was reinstated in February 2008 and accepted by Privy Council in April 2008.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/guernsey/7339172.stm |title=Sark democracy plans are approved |work=[[BBC News Online]] |access-date=5 May 2008 |date=9 April 2008}}</ref>

In 2003, Chief Pleas voted to vary the long-standing [[ban (law)|ban]] on divorce in the island by extending to the Royal Court of Guernsey power to grant divorces.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Dewe |first1=R. J. |title=The General Purposes & Finance Committee Report on Divorce |date=August 2002 |url=http://www.sark.info/static/government/old_website/static/0208div.htm |website=sark.info |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314010835/http://www.sark.info/static/government/old_website/static/0208div.htm |archive-date=14 March 2012}}</ref>

In 2017, due to a lack of candidates standing for elections, the number of {{lang|nrf|conseillers}} was reduced from 28 to 18, with nine elected every two years.

Bailiwick of Guernsey laws and United Kingdom Acts of Parliament can (the latter as in the case of all the other Channel Islands) be extended to Sark. Normally the consent of Chief Pleas is obtained for this, but the Supreme Court ruled in ''R v Secretary of State for Justice'' that it need not be.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.supremecourt.uk/cases/docs/uksc-2013-0155-judgment.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://www.supremecourt.uk/cases/docs/uksc-2013-0155-judgment.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-09 |url-status=live |access-date=5 December 2018 |title=''R (on the application of Sir David Barclay and another) (Respondents) v Secretary of State for Justice and the Lord Chancellor and others (Appellants) and The Attorney General of Jersey and The States of Guernsey (Interveners)'' |website=The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom |date=22 October 2014 |quote=... in the eyes of the courts the UK Parliament did have a paramount power to legislate for the Islands on any matter, domestic or international, without their consent ...}}</ref><ref>{{cite BAILII |litigants=R v Secretary of State for Justice |court=UKSC |year=2014 |num=54 |parallelcite=[2014] 3 WLR 1142, [2015] 1 AC 276, [2014] WLR(D) 446 |date=22 October 2014}}</ref> Sark does not make its own criminal laws;<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.guernseyroyalcourt.gg/article/3424/Parliament---The-Chief-Pleas |title=Parliament - The Chief Pleas |date=13 September 2011 |publisher=The Royal Court of Guernsey |website=www.guernseyroyalcourt.gg}}</ref> the responsibility for making criminal law was assigned to the States of Guernsey by Section 4(3) of the [[Reform (Sark) Law 2008]].<ref name="Reform law"/>

===Officers===
The executive officers on the island are:

* The '''Seneschal''' (Chief Judge, formerly also President of Chief Pleas) and Deputy
* The '''Prevôt''' (Sheriff of the Court and of Chief Pleas) and Deputy
* The '''Greffier''' (Clerk) and Deputy
* The '''Treasurer''' (Finances) and Deputy
* The '''Connétable''' (or [[Constable]]) is the senior of two police officers and police administrator and the [[Vingtenier]] is the junior police officer.

The Seneschal, Prevôt, and Greffier are chosen by the Seigneur, while the Treasurer, Constable and Vingtenier are elected by Chief Pleas.<ref name="Reform law">{{cite web|title=The Reform (Sark) Law, 2008|url=http://www.gov.sark.gg/Downloads/laws_and_ordinances/reform_(sark)_law__2008_(consolidated_text).pdf|website=Sark Chief Pleas|access-date=5 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180713231409/http://www.gov.sark.gg/Downloads/laws_and_ordinances/reform_(sark)_law__2008_(consolidated_text).pdf|archive-date=13 July 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Channel Islands |editor-first=Reginald J. W. |editor-last=Hammond |publisher=[[Ward Lock & Co|Ward Lock]] |page=146 |location=London |year=1975 |isbn=0-7063-5497-4 |series=[[Ward Lock travel guides|Ward Lock Red Guide]]}}</ref>

The list of current Officers of the Island of Sark:
* Seneschal – Victoria Stamps<ref name="contacts"/>
** Deputy Seneschal – Ashley Jarman<ref name="contacts"/>
* Prévôt – Kevin Adams<ref name="contacts">{{cite web |url=http://www.gov.sark.gg/contacts.html |title=Contacts |website=Sark Chief Pleas |publisher=Government of Sark |access-date=1 February 2014 |archive-date=18 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091118182023/http://www.gov.sark.gg/Contacts.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>
** Deputy Prévôt – Joanne Godwin<ref name=":0">{{cite web|url=http://www.gov.sark.gg/contacts.html|title=Sark Government web site contacts|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091118182023/http://www.gov.sark.gg/Contacts.html|archive-date=18 November 2009|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* Greffier – Trevor John Hamon<ref name=":0" />
** Deputy Greffier – Gary Hamon{{Citation needed|date=October 2018}}
* Treasurer – Sarah Hudson<ref>{{Cite web |last=government |first=Isle of sark |title=Isle of sark government |url=https://sarkgov.co.uk/contact-us |access-date=2024-03-24 |website=Isle of sark government |language=en-US}}</ref>
* Constable – 
* Vingtenier – 
* Speaker of Chief Pleas – Paul Armorgie<ref name="contacts"/>

===''Clameur de haro''===
Among the old laws of the Channel Islands is the old [[Normans|Norman]] custom of the ''[[clameur de haro]]''. Using this legal device, a person can obtain immediate cessation of any action he considers to be an infringement of his rights. At the scene, he must, in front of witnesses, recite the [[Lord's Prayer]] in French and cry out ''"Haro, Haro, Haro! À mon aide mon Prince, on me fait tort!"'' (''"Haro, Haro, Haro! To my aid, my Prince! I am being wronged!"''). It should then be registered with the Greffe Office within 24 hours. All actions against the person must then cease until the matter is heard by the Court. The last ''clameur'' recorded on Sark was raised in August 2021, this was withdrawn by the claimant in October 2021.<ref>Act of Court, October 2021</ref>

===Periodicals===
Since 2009 a resident of Sark has operated a weekly online newspaper called ''The Sark Newspaper'' (earlier: ''The Sark Newsletter'').<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sarknewspaper.com/|title=Keeping the Island Informed.|website=The Sark Newspaper}}</ref> The publisher is a former longtime employee of the wealthy [[David and Frederick Barclay|Barclay brothers]], who own the small neighbouring island of [[Brecqhou]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-guernsey-31838071|title=Kevin Delaney leaves Barclay Brothers' Sark firm|date=11 March 2015|work=[[BBC News Online]]|access-date=27 July 2017}}</ref> The publication has compared the local government of Sark "to fascist Germany in the 1930s". In 2014 over 50 residents of Sark filed complaints with the police about accusations made by the paper.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/nov/20/sark-feud-newspaper-harassment|title=Police called in over 'media harassment' on Sark|last=Morris|first=Steven|date=20 November 2014|work=[[The Guardian]]|access-date=27 July 2017|issn=0261-3077}}</ref>

Since 2011 a quarterly magazine called ''Sark Life'', which promotes a positive view of the island and welcomes contributions, is published by the Sark-based publishing company ''Small Island Publishing''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.smallislandpublishing.sark.gg/sarklife.html|title=Sark Life magazine by Small Island Publishing, Sark|website=www.smallislandpublishing.sark.gg}}</ref>