Guernsey: Government#
| Country name | conventional long form: Bailiwick of Guernsey conventional short form: Guernsey etymology: the name is of Old Norse origin, but the meaning of the root "Guern(s)" is uncertain; the "-ey" ending means "island" |
|---|---|
| Dependency status | British crown dependency |
| Government type | parliamentary democracy (States of Deliberation); a Crown dependency of the UK |
| Capital | Saint Peter Port
Saint Peter Port
geographic coordinates: 49 27 N, 2 32 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October |
| Administrative divisions | none (British crown dependency); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 10 parishes: Castel, Forest, Saint Andrew, Saint Martin, Saint Peter Port, Saint Pierre du Bois, Saint Sampson, Saint Saviour, Torteval, Vale |
| Independence | none (British crown dependency) |
| National holiday | Liberation Day, 9 May (1945) |
| Constitution | history: unwritten; includes royal charters, statutes, and common law and practice amendments: new laws or changes to existing laws are initiated by the States of Deliberation; passage requires majority vote (2016) |
| Legal system | customary legal system based on Norman customary law, and includes elements of the French civil code and English common law |
| Citizenship | see United Kingdom |
| Suffrage | 16 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch | chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Lieutenant Governor Vice Admiral Ian CORDER (since 14 March 2016) head of government: Chief Minister Gavin ST.PIER (since 6 May 2016); Bailiff Sir Richard COLLAS (since 23 March 2012); note - Chief Minister is the president of the Policy and Resources Committee and is the de facto head of government; The Policy and Resources Committee, elected by the States of Deliberation, functions as the executive; the five members all have equal voting rights cabinet: none elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; lieutenant governor and bailiff appointed by the monarch; chief minister indirectly elected by States of Deliberation; last held on 6 May 2016 (next to be held in 2020) election results: Gavin ST.PIER (independent) elected as president of the Policy and Resources Committee and Chief Minister |
| Legislative branch | description: unicameral States of Deliberation (40 seats; 38 People's Deputies and 2 representatives of the States of Alderney; members directly elected by majority vote to serve 4-year terms); note - non-voting members include the bailiff (presiding officer), attorney-general, and solicitor-general elections: last held on 27 April 2016 (next to be held in 2020) election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - all independent |
| Judicial branch | highest resident court(s): Guernsey Court of Appeal (consists of the Bailiff of Guernsey, who is the ex-officio president of the Guernsey Court of Appeal, and at least 12 judges); Royal Court (organized into 3 divisions - Full Court sits with 1 judge and 7 to 12 jurats acting as judges of fact, Ordinary Court sits with 1 judge and normally 3 jurats, and Matrimonial Causes Division sits with a 1 judge and 4 jurats); note - appeals beyond Guernsey courts are heard by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London) judge selection and term of office: Royal Court Bailiff, Deputy Bailiff, and Court of Appeal justices appointed by the British Crown and hold office at Her Majesty's pleasure; jurats elected by the States of Election, a body chaired by the Bailiff and a number of jurats subordinate courts: Court of Alderney; Court of the Seneschal of Sark; Magistrate's Court (includes Juvenile Court); Contracts Court; Ecclesiastical Court; Court of Chief Pleas |
| Political parties and leaders | none; all independents |
| Political pressure groups and leaders | Stop Traffic Endangering Pedestrian Safety or STEPS |
| International organization participation | UPU |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | none (British crown dependency) |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | none (British crown dependency) |
| Flag description | white with the red cross of Saint George (patron saint of England) extending to the edges of the flag and a yellow equal-armed cross of William the Conqueror superimposed on the Saint George cross; the red cross represents the old ties with England and the fact that Guernsey is a British Crown dependency; the gold cross is a replica of the one used by Duke William of Normandy at the Battle of Hastings |
| National symbol(s) | Guernsey cow, donkey; national colors: red, white, yellow |
| National anthem | name: "Sarnia Cherie" (Guernsey Dear) lyrics/music: George DEIGHTON/Domencio SANTANGELO note: adopted 1911; serves as a local anthem; as a British crown dependency, "God Save the Queen" remains official (see United Kingdom) |