[DRAFT] Independent Candidate Rights

[States of Glory WA Office]

Independent Candidate Rights
Category: Furtherment of Democracy | Strength: Mild

The World Assembly,

NOTING that inhabitants of member states have the right to assemble freely and to form political parties,

BELIEVING that, in democratic institutions, citizens should have the right to run for office without being associated with any particular organisation,

HEREBY:

1. DEFINES a political candidate, for the purposes of this resolution, as an individual who is running for political office in a democratic nation and who is entitled to run for that particular political office,
   
   
2. DEFINES an independent political candidate, for the purposes of this resolution, as a political candidate who uses the term 'Independent' in lieu of using the name of a recognised political party, alliance, bloc or organisation,
   
   
3. FORBIDS member states from placing restrictions on independent political candidates if those restrictions are not placed on political parties, alliances, blocs and organisations,
   
   
4. URGES member states that utilise democracy to allow political candidates to use no term at all if they so wish,
   
   
5. CLARIFIES that nothing in this resolution requires member states to govern their nation in a democratic manner.

Neville: You can probably guess which proposal inspired this. I was considering doing a proposal on both political parties and independent candidates, but I believe that political parties are allowed even in autocratic nations, so I decided to save space. As always, comments are welcome.

Independent Candidate Rights
Category: Furtherment of Democracy | Strength: Mild

The World Assembly,

NOTING that inhabitants of member states have the right to assemble freely and to form political parties,

BELIEVING that, in democratic institutions, citizens should have the right to run for office without being associated with any particular organisation,

HEREBY:

1) DEFINES a political candidate, for the purposes of this resolution, as a sapient being who is running for political office in a democratic nation and who is entitled to run for that particular political office,

2) DEFINES an independent political candidate, for the purposes of this resolution, as a political candidate who uses the term 'Independent' in lieu of using the name of a recognised political party, alliance, bloc or organisation,

3) FORBIDS member states from placing restrictions on independent political candidates if those restrictions are not placed on political parties, alliances, blocs and organisations,

4) URGES member states that utilise democracy to allow political candidates to use no term at all if they so wish,

5) CLARIFIES that nothing in this resolution requires member states to govern their nation in a democratic manner.

[Separatist Peoples]

"What on earth is the international utility, though?"

[Wallenburg]

"What on earth is the international utility, though?"

"Ambassador, has there ever been a resolution of the Furtherment of Democracy category that addresses an international issue?"

[Yodle]

What of dictatorships who don't have democracy?

[Imperium Anglorum]

"What on earth is the international utility, though?"

"Ambassador, has there ever been a resolution of the Furtherment of Democracy category that addresses an international issue?"

PARSONS: 17 GA 'WA General Fund'.

[Wallenburg]

What of dictatorships who don't have democracy?

"It has been quite well-established that resolutions regulating democratic systems do not apply to non-democratic states."

"Ambassador, has there ever been a resolution of the Furtherment of Democracy category that addresses an international issue?"

PARSONS: 17 GA 'WA General Fund'.

Ogenbond scoffs. "What?" He looks over to an index of active resolutions and finds his way to the resolution. "Huh."

OOC: How did I not notice until now that GAR#17 has nothing to do with its category?

[States of Glory WA Office]

"What on earth is the international utility, though?"

Neville: The World Assembly cannot force member states to adopt democracy, but it can ensure that member states which have adopted democracy will allow its citizens to have a proper political say. It isn't anything urgent, but it's worthy of international legislation, in my opinion.

"Ambassador, has there ever been a resolution of the Furtherment of Democracy category that addresses an international issue?"

PARSONS: 17 GA 'WA General Fund'.

OOC: Well, yeah, but as much as I like that resolution, the category is shoehorned in so that the resolution is legal. This is why we need a category that deals exclusively with committees.

[Imperium Anglorum]

"What on earth is the international utility, though?"

Aggregate utility around the world, presumably.

[Bananaistan]

"Completely and utterly unacceptable. Are you trying to completely rule out any member state from using a party list system to elect its legislature?

"And no, I can't guess what inspired this."

- Ted Hornwood

[Separatist Peoples]

"What on earth is the international utility, though?"

Neville: The World Assembly cannot force member states to adopt democracy, but it can ensure that member states which have adopted democracy will allow its citizens to have a proper political say. It isn't anything urgent, but it's worthy of international legislation, in my opinion.

"Thus disincentivizing autocratic nations from moving to democratic forms of governance by raising the acceptable standard for elections higher and higher. This was a major source of contention over previous democratic election standards proposals."

[Wallenburg]

"Completely and utterly unacceptable. Are you trying to completely rule out any member state from using a party list system to elect its legislature?

"And no, I can't guess what inspired this."

- Ted Hornwood

"Ambassador, you can simply list party-independent candidates under an 'independent' category that mirrors whatever manner you list party candidates."

[Imperium Anglorum]

"Completely and utterly unacceptable. Are you trying to completely rule out any member state from using a party list system to elect its legislature?

"And no, I can't guess what inspired this."

- Ted Hornwood

"Ambassador, you can simply list party-independent candidates under an 'independent' category that mirrors whatever manner you list party candidates."

Okay. If the Independent category gets some number of votes, who gets the Independent seat?

[Separatist Peoples]

"Ambassador, you can simply list party-independent candidates under an 'independent' category that mirrors whatever manner you list party candidates."

Okay. If the Independent category gets some number of votes, who gets the Independent seat?

"I had not thought of the issues surrounding parliamentary organizations."

[States of Glory WA Office]

"Completely and utterly unacceptable. Are you trying to completely rule out any member state from using a party list system to elect its legislature?

Fairburn: We have no sympathy for nations that choose to force candidates to align themselves with a political party. As long as a party-list system includes independents, there is no conflict with this proposal.

"And no, I can't guess what inspired this."

Neville: I was reading this and I realised that there were no protections for independent candidates which were enshrined in international law, so just like with my previous two proposals, I decided to try my hand at plugging the loophole. And they say that the WA has run out of topics on which to legislate!

"Ambassador, you can simply list party-independent candidates under an 'independent' category that mirrors whatever manner you list party candidates."

Okay. If the Independent category gets some number of votes, who gets the Independent seat?

Neville: Why not let member states decide for themselves? It's not the job of the WA to babysit.

[Imperium Anglorum]

Neville: Why not let member states decide for themselves? It's not the job of the WA to babysit.

Parsons looks at Neville and says, 'Excellent argument'. He then pulls out the proposal draft and writes, 'Why not let member states decide for themselves? It's not the job of the WA to babysit'.

[Bananaistan]

"Please do a bit of research on how party list systems work and the benefits of not allowing independent candidates before you decide to ban the whole thing. Suggesting that an independent list simply be tacked onto the party lists shows no understanding of how these things work.

"As always, we will strenuously oppose and actively campaign against WA restrictions on the internal workings of member states' democracies."

- Ted Hornwood.

[States of Glory WA Office]

Neville: Why not let member states decide for themselves? It's not the job of the WA to babysit.

Parsons looks at Neville and says, 'Excellent argument'. He then pulls out the proposal draft and writes, 'Why not let member states decide for themselves? It's not the job of the WA to babysit'.

Neville: I wouldn't call this 'babysitting' any more than I would call mandating that all elections are fair 'babysitting'.

"Please do a bit of research on how party list systems work and the benefits of not allowing independent candidates before you decide to ban the whole thing. Suggesting that an independent list simply be tacked onto the party lists shows no understanding of how these things work.

Neville: Hmm...independent candidates can always form their own list with their own allocation, but then it'd be debatable if they are truly independent. Just out of interest, is there anything stopping candidates from creating a single-candidate electoral list?

"As always, we will strenuously oppose and actively campaign against WA restrictions on the internal workings of member states' democracies."

Neville: There are five clauses in this draft, only one of which actually requires member states to do anything, if they haven't already done so. I can see your point about party lists, but let's not act as if this proposal will cause the WA to spontaneously implode on itself.

[Wallenburg]

"Ambassador, you can simply list party-independent candidates under an 'independent' category that mirrors whatever manner you list party candidates."

Okay. If the Independent category gets some number of votes, who gets the Independent seat?

"What? Ambassador, the resolution clearly states that 'independent' does not refer to a party."

[Bananaistan]

"Please do a bit of research on how party list systems work and the benefits of not allowing independent candidates before you decide to ban the whole thing. Suggesting that an independent list simply be tacked onto the party lists shows no understanding of how these things work.

Neville: Hmm...independent candidates can always form their own list with their own allocation, but then it'd be debatable if they are truly independent. Just out of interest, is there anything stopping candidates from creating a single-candidate electoral list?

"If there's only one name, how can it be a list? It would only be an item!

"As always, we will strenuously oppose and actively campaign against WA restrictions on the internal workings of member states' democracies."

Neville: There are five clauses in this draft, only one of which actually requires member states to do anything, if they haven't already done so. I can see your point about party lists, but let's not act as if this proposal will cause the WA to spontaneously implode on itself.

"Please justify interfering in democratic member states elections when you don't propose extending the right to vote and stand in elections to all citizens of all member states."

- Ted Hornwood.

[States of Glory WA Office]

Neville: Hmm...independent candidates can always form their own list with their own allocation, but then it'd be debatable if they are truly independent. Just out of interest, is there anything stopping candidates from creating a single-candidate electoral list?

"If there's only one name, how can it be a list? It would only be an item!

Neville: Answer the question. Is it or is it not allowed?

Neville: There are five clauses in this draft, only one of which actually requires member states to do anything, if they haven't already done so. I can see your point about party lists, but let's not act as if this proposal will cause the WA to spontaneously implode on itself.

"Please justify interfering in democratic member states elections when you don't propose extending the right to vote and stand in elections to all citizens of all member states."

Fairburn: You know damn well why we cannot extend the right to vote and stand in elections to all citizens of member states. Personally, I consider this proposal to be on the level of requiring all elections to be fair. You may disagree with my assessment, and I can assure you that any disagreements in that regard will be looked at and discarded.

[Bananaistan]

"If there's only one name, how can it be a list? It would only be an item!

Neville: Answer the question. Is it or is it not allowed?

"Eh, clearly that was the answer! The fact that an item is not a list prevents a single-candidate electoral list. A single-candidate electoral list is impossible!

"Please justify interfering in democratic member states elections when you don't propose extending the right to vote and stand in elections to all citizens of all member states."

Fairburn: You know damn well why we cannot extend the right to vote and stand in elections to all citizens of member states. Personally, I consider this proposal to be on the level of requiring all elections to be fair. You may disagree with my assessment, and I can assure you that any disagreements in that regard will be looked at and discarded.

"Why speak to requiring elections to be fair when you have taken no action towards this?"

- Ted Hornwood

[States of Glory WA Office]

Neville: Answer the question. Is it or is it not allowed?

"Eh, clearly that was the answer! The fact that an item is not a list prevents a single-candidate electoral list. A single-candidate electoral list is impossible!

Neville: So in other words, your nation forces candidates to associate with a political party?

Fairburn: You know damn well why we cannot extend the right to vote and stand in elections to all citizens of member states. Personally, I consider this proposal to be on the level of requiring all elections to be fair. You may disagree with my assessment, and I can assure you that any disagreements in that regard will be looked at and discarded.

"Why speak to requiring elections to be fair when you have taken no action towards this?"

Fairburn: I never said that it contributed to elections being fair, I said that it was on the same level, much like preventing torture is on the same level as preventing genocide. Work on your comprehension, "ambassador".

Neville: Alright, cool it. Everyone take a breather.

Rowan: I've, like, got a breather.

Fairburn: Security!

[Bananaistan]

"Eh, clearly that was the answer! The fact that an item is not a list prevents a single-candidate electoral list. A single-candidate electoral list is impossible!

Neville: So in other words, your nation forces candidates to associate with a political party?

"The clue is in the name: party list.

"What my nation does is irrelevant. The point is that for the WA to ban party list systems is a gross over reach of WA powers considering that it is an accepted principle of WA law that member states are free to choose their own form of government.

"Why speak to requiring elections to be fair when you have taken no action towards this?"

Fairburn: I never said that it contributed to elections being fair, I said that it was on the same level, much like preventing torture is on the same level as preventing genocide. Work on your comprehension, "ambassador".

Neville: Alright, cool it. Everyone take a breather.

Rowan: I've, like, got a breather.

Fairburn: Security!

"Considering that each and every member state is free to choose to do away elections altogether, why is requiring them to be fair so important? (There is no such requirement either here or in passed resolutions). And what is so important about independent candidates that it is so essential to force every democratic member state to allow them?"

- Ted Hornwood

[Calladan]

Neville: Answer the question. Is it or is it not allowed?

"Eh, clearly that was the answer! The fact that an item is not a list prevents a single-candidate electoral list. A single-candidate electoral list is impossible!

Actually you can have lists with a single item on. If you have a to-do list, and cross of everything except the last item, would it not still be your "to do list"? If you have an agenda (which literally translates as "list of items") with one item, most people would still refer to it as an agenda, rather than the more accurate "agendum", wouldn't they?

I am just saying that - arguably - as reasons to disallow something - a single item on a list seems a tad petty. With all due respect.

[Bananaistan]

"Perhaps you might accept this gift of a dictionary which Ambassador Blackbourne refused? I would note that it say that the definition of a list is "a number of connected items or names written or printed consecutively, typically one below the other." With a to do list, the fact that you might have crossed some of the items off, does not alter its fundamental character of being a list of individual tasks.

"Now if this proposal were to pass, given that independents would now have a place on the ballot, the system would no longer be a party list system as some of the options on the ballot would not have an attaching list, merely one single attaching name. It's not petty, it's not pedantry, it's simply the ordinary meaning of the words involved.

"Some ambassadors have suggested that member states would be free to force independents to form a list of their own. Aside from the practical implications of just how these independents would decide on their order of placement on their list, this could well be illegal under current WA law which guarantees freedom of association. In fact it would probably also be illegal under this proposal as typically parties will not be forced to associate with or form single lists with other parties.

- Ted Hornwood.