Editing Politics of Jersey (section)

=== Party politics: Magots and Charlots ===

The late 18th century was the first time political parties in some form came into existence on the island. Jean Dumaresq was an early [[Liberalism|Liberal]] who called for democratic reforms (that the States should be democratically elected Deputies and should have vested in them executive power). His supporters were known as {{Lang|fr|Magots}} ("maggots", initially an insult from his opponents, which the {{Lang|fr|Magots}} reclaimed as their own term) and his opponents as the ''{{Lang|fr|Charlots}}'' (supporters of the Lieutenant Baliff Charles Lempière). Dumaresq is quoted as saying "we shall make these Seigneurs bite the dust". In 1776, he was elected as Connétable for St Peter.<ref name="BHJ24"/><sup>:200</sup>

The post-[[Napoleonic Wars|Napoleonic War]] period was a divisive period politically for the island. In 1821, there was an election for Jurat. The [[Saint Lawrence, Jersey|St Laurentine]] Laurelites (conservatives, the eventual name for the ''{{Lang|fr|Charlots}}'') attacked the Inn in their village where Rose men (the progressive descendants of the ''{{Lang|fr|Magots}}'') were holding a meeting. They damaged the building and injured both the innkeeper and his wife. On election day in St Martin, the a number of Rose voters were attacked, after which most Rose men refrained from voting. Although the Rose candidate won overall, he faced a number of lawsuits over claims of voter fraud, so in the end the Laurel candidate George Bertram took office.<ref name="BHJ24"/><sup>:232</sup>