Relationship with the UK
The island is a Crown Dependency which, through its ancient
parliament Tynwald, enjoys
a high degree of domestic legislative and political autonomy.
The United Kingdom Government is though, by convention, responsible
for the conduct of the external relations and defence of the
island.
Her Majesty the
Queen as Lord of Mann is Head of State. Her
personal representative on the island is His Excellency the
Lieutenant Governor, who is appointed
by the Crown for a five-year term.
Tynwald
Dating back to Viking origins over one thousand years ago,
Tynwald (in Manx - Ard-whaiyl Tinvaal) is the oldest continuous
legislature in the world.
It has two branches: the House of Keys
and the Legislative
Council. The majority of Members sit as
independents, and the virtual absence of party politics has
contributed to the remarkable stability of the Manx system.
The Members of the House of Keys (MHKs) are elected by
universal adult suffrage every five years. In contrast, eight
of the eleven Members of the Legislative Council (MLCs), are elected by
the Members of the House of Keys. There are also three ex officio
members - the President of
Tynwald, HM Attorney General and the Lord
Bishop.
The branches sit seperately and the Legislative Council generally
acts as a chamber that revises Bills initiated in the Keys, but
once a year they sit together as Tynwald Court.
Tynwald Court
On 5th July each year, Tynwald Court assembles in the open air on
Tynwald Hill at St John's - a Viking site of the Manx
Parliament - to conduct parliamentary business and receive
petitions for redress. It debates matters of policy, approves
delegated legislation adopts financial motions.
Ministers
The island has a ministerial system of government. The
political head of the Manx Government is the Chief Minister, who is
nominated by Tynwald from amongst its own members, and appointed by
His Excellency The Lieutenant Governor.
The Chief
Minister then selects the ministers, who have
responsibility for the major Government departments, and forms the
Manx Cabinet.
Objective
The objective of the Manx Government is to maximise the island's
standard of living whilst safeguarding its environment and quality
of life. It seeks to achieve 'a prosperous, law-abiding,
caring and free enterprise society.'
The Legal Position
The Isle of Man has a special relationship with the
European Union, set out in
Protocol 3 to the Act of Accession annexed to the
Treaty of Accession 1972.
The Island is not a member state nor an associate member of the UK,
but the relationship does appear to be mutually beneficial.
The protocol cannot be changed without the unanimous
decision of all member States of the EU.
For more information about this relationship, click here.