There is a country that wants lying to become a crime… if the culprit is a politician

In the Welsh Parliament, a proposal to criminalize lies by politicians is being discussed. If approved, it will be the first law of its kind.

What if politicians were prohibited from saying “untruths”, under penalty of committing a crime? This is what could happen in Wales, if the Parliament approve a proposal that is on the table.

Criminalizing politicians’ lies is the idea behind a possible new law in that country – unprecedented, according to The Guardian.

One argument used is that there are already laws that prohibit lying in other public and professional areas and that politics should not be left out..

One of the main drivers of the proposal is Adam Price, former leader of Plaid Cymrua center-left party that defends the independence of Wales from the United Kingdom, that talks about an issue “essential”, at a time when populism and disinformation are taking over politics and electoral acts.

According to an amendment proposed by Price, an MP or candidate for MP in Wales would be legally prevented from misleading Parliament or the public.

“The public is tired – and rightly so – of seeing certain politicians lie and get away with it.”says Adam Price, quoted by The Guardian.

“We have the power to change the rules so that all politicians act with integrity, honesty and respect”, he argues. “We are trying to restore what should be a basic principle: that politicians never deliberately try to deceive.”

The proposal will be receiving support from the Liberal Democrats and the Conservative Party, as well as the First Minister of Wales, Vaughan Gething, has already stated that he agrees with the “general principle” of the proposal and that you are considering it.

If the law is approved, the author hopes to set a “precedent” and for the criminalization of political lying to be “adopted by democracies around the world”.