Welsh government pioneers bill to criminalize political lies

It is no secret that politicians worldwide often do not tell the truth. They do this to make their words fit the narrative presented by the group to which they belong. The government of one European country has stated that this must come to an end. A bill is being prepared to ban lying by politicians.

Unfortunately, when we think about politics, the first things that come to mind are often various scandals, frauds, and lies. Parliamentarians love to bend facts as long as they fit their narrative. A prime example is Donald Trump, who has not told the truth for many years. He mentions non-existent facts or alters the available ones in conversations with journalists to his advantage. All of this is to ensure that his supporters will vote for him.

Parliamentarians from Wales have decided that it is necessary to stop the lies spoken by politicians. They have concluded that it is essential to prepare a groundbreaking bill that will impose penalties for spreading false information for personal gain. Surprisingly, this idea has been well-received by both members of the ruling party and the opposition. They unanimously voted in favour of its adoption.

Welsh politicians announce that the bill banning lying in politics will be "a world pioneering initiative". The idea has been very enthusiastically received by parliamentarians. It was voted through without issue. Mick Antoniw, who is the Chief Legal Advisor to the Welsh Government, announced in an interview with journalists that the rules will already be in force before the next elections in that country, which are in two years' time.

"The Welsh government will present regulations for the disqualification of members (of the government and parliament - ed.) and candidates found guilty of deliberate misdirection through an independent judicial process before 2026," said Mick Antoniw in an interview with the media.

Under the new law, every politician will have 14 days to retract a misleading statement. If this is not done, the matter will go to court. If a judge finds that the accused intentionally lied, there will be a threat of up to four years of being barred from serving as a parliamentarian.