NationStates Jolt Archive

There is a motion in the Polish parliament to ban the convicted persons from running in the parliamentary elections. On one hand, the non-felon requirement would save us a lot of embarrassment with loudmouthed populists like this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrzej_Lepper (he's no longer in the government, by the way).
On the other hand, taking away the right to be elected is rather an extreme measure. What about people who had tumultuous youth resulting in prison time but have truly reformed and were shining examples of civil virtues since?
Some argue that the non-felon requirement should make exceptions for convictions in conjunction with political activity. But in case of our populists the charges they were found guilty on include not only defamation, libel, illegal road blockades and destruction of property but also physical assaults on political enemies.
What do you think? Should the convicted be banned from representing the people?
And should I make an issue out of this? :D

One of the enduring principles of Law is that persons who have been convicted of a crime should be able to resume their full place in society once they have served whatever term of punishment they are penalised with.

Under that philosophy, there really shouldn't be any restrictions on the eligibility of someone who has spent convictions in their past.

There is a motion in the Polish parliament to ban the convicted persons from running in the parliamentary elections.

...here in Italy, we have some felons (definitely that: that is, sentenced guilty in THREE degrees of trial - ordinary, appeal and cassazione) that sit in the parliament. This is legal because here some felonies earn also a loss of political rights - and some others don't.

Then again, things aren't always so simple and smooth here in the "boot".

Just in the last days, a special committee of the Camera dei Deputati (the lower house) has decided to ask the Camera itself to reject the election of MP Cesare Previti (a lawyer that used to work for Silvio Berlusconi and was also a minister in one of his previous cabinets).
Previti has been sentenced guilty of corrupting a magistrate in order to fix a sentence (the IMI-SIR judgement), thus enabling -guess who?- Silvio Berlusconi to take over a company he shouldn't have.
The sentence included 7 (iirc) years of jail (Previti has been given home arrest due to old age, because of a law passed by the -guess who?- Berlusconì's cabinet and coalition) and the PERMANENT loss of own political rights. This should have made Previti unable to compete in last year's election; he was elected, though, because the motivations of the sentence came out AFTER the elections (quite a tricky bit about italian laws here, I'm not sure I can explain that properly in English).
Anyway, I'm really looking for the moment Previti gets ousted from the Camera.

Apart from the typical italian legal byzantine style, I think that we're right: SOME felonies should earn the guilty a permanent loss of political rights, SOME other just a temporary loss.

One of the enduring principles of Law is that persons who have been convicted of a crime should be able to resume their full place in society once they have served whatever term of punishment they are penalised with.

Unless you live in Texas.
Convicted felons aren't allowed to vote or run for office here.

So... Poland is acting like Texas.

Unless you live in Texas.
Convicted felons aren't allowed to vote or run for office here.<snip>
Interesting.

(Edited)

Interesting. Are they still allowed to vote, or does being convicted of a crime render them completely disenfranchised for life?
Once they're "out of the system" they can vote again.

So... Poland is acting like Texas.
Not yet, although the legislation will likely pass. As much as I hate to see the populist liars or corrupt fatcats in the parliament, I would like to agree with Longhaul that the person who served the term should have their right returned in full.
Unless it's a child molester who is forever banned from taking the job involving contact with children... or ex-husband who beat the wife and is forever banned from coming anywhere near her...
Ummm.... this is more complicated than I thought.
Shouldn't a person who abuses their political rights (case in point: Previti) lose part of them at least for a time? I think so, although what worries me is the existing potential to abuse such law. Similar form of punishment existed in totalitarian („communist”) Poland and was used to oppress the democratic opposition.

so Poland will be banning all its politicians then? :p

so Poland will be banning all its politicians then? :p
That would be the ideal scenario. Unfortunately most of them are already too smart to get caught. Give credit to them, to learn that parliamentary game in 18 years takes some genius. Your politicians are born into the system perfected for centuries!

I don't know why there's even a thread about this. Our country's government is not to be taken seriously.

so Poland will be banning all its politicians then? :p
yup, they are kicking themselves out of government if they pass this, but they are too stupid to realise this.

I don't know why there's even a thread about this. Our country's government is not to be taken seriously.

What? More Poland bashing?

What? More Poland bashing?
Well, considering the last few weeks, it's quite hard not to bash the Polish government.

What? More Poland bashing?
Why not?

He's Polish, let him take the piss out of his own country (which is in a fair shitty state politically at the moment) at the very least.

i read the thread title as "fellatio in the parliament?!", imo both should be allowed.

i read the thread title as "fellatio in the parliament?!", imo both should be allowed.

Honey, it happens with or without your consent. ;)

What? More Poland bashing?

No. Just Government-Bashing.

Honey, it happens with or without your consent. ;)
No, what happens in the parliament is more often than not screwing around, screwing the voters, screwing it totally and sometimes general buggery. I guess if they received fellatio from time to time we would have happier MPs, perhaps less screwy laws and surely more interesting speeches. A la Police Academy II if I recall correctly.

No, people make mistakes and a convicted felon(murderer, robber...) would probably make a better leader than an ordinary politician who is an unconvicted felon. ;)