The Trunk of Yggdrasil: Parliamentary Procedure Basics
The Norse believed that the universe was an unfathomably vast tree called Yggdrasil. Its branches and leaves twisted and crisscrossed about, forming the many realms of Norse mythology. This is, scientifically speaking, quite a large pile of rubbish. Regardless, Yggdrasil provides an excellent metaphor for how the many realms of Model United Nations almost always diverge from the same trunk. And that trunk is Parliamentary Procedure.
Parliamentary Procedure, put simply, is the set of instructions for Model United Nations. It imbues ordinarily lackluster debates with roleplaying flavor. Most committees use it, while more advanced ones create instructions of their own. Now, put your thinking cap on and imagine that you are a delegate in a Model United Nations committee…
1.) Ceremonial Adoption of Agenda
For those who like visuals, here is a depiction of what your imaginary committee will look like:
The “Chair” pictured is the person responsible for executing Parliamentary Procedure (and for giving you awards). After you have settled in your seat, the Chair will do a roll call. But this is no ordinary roll call… it is a Model United Nations roll call! When the Chair calls the name of your nation, say either “Present!” or “Present and voting!” This is ceremonial, but it is highly, highly recommended to say “Present and voting!” because it sounds more impressive (no joke!). After the roll call, the Chair will declare that the committee is in session. The Chair will proceed to ask: “Are there any motions on the floor at this time?” Now, let’s backtrack a little bit. Before the committee starts, you will have received a placard emblazoned with your represented nation’s name. After the Chair asks the question about motions, you should raise this placard. Raising your placard is the Model United Nations equivalent of raising your hand in school. The chair might call on you, and if you are called on, you should say: “Motion to set the topic to (the topic of the committee).” You will then vote on whether or not the said topic will in fact be the topic of the committee (raise your placard to vote). This so-called “Adoption of Agenda” is plainly ceremonial, because the failure to elect a topic will prevent the committee from discussing anything.
2.) Speaker’s List
After the topic is selected, the chair will ask the “Are there any motions on the floor at this time?” question again. This question comes up frequently, make sure you know how to respond to it. In this case, you should answer with: “Motion to open the Speaker’s List.” The Speaker’s List is the way delegates introduce their nations and their beliefs. After the motion to open the Speaker’s List has passed, the Chair will ask the delegates to motion for a speaking time. After the time each delegation has to speak has been voted on and determined, you should raise your placard if you want to be on the Speaker’s List. The Chair will then call on the nations that wanted to be on the Speaker’s List in a random order. Once you have been called on, go to the front of the room and describe your country and the position it has on the topic at hand. Once all of the countries on the list have finished speaking, the actual hardcore Model United Nations shenanigans begin!
3.) The Core of Model United Nations
Now that all of the formalities are finished, it is time for the chair to ask if there are any motions on the floor. This is where our friend the caucus comes in to play. There are two types of caucuses: moderated and unmoderated. Moderated caucuses are always the first caucuses, so let’s look at them first. They are times allotted for formal speeches. If you want a moderated caucus that lasts for a specific length of time and includes a specific speaking time of your choice, just raise your placard and say: “Motion for a (blank) minute moderated caucus with a (blank) second speaking time.” The committee will then, as you might have guessed, hold a vote on whether or not to accept your caucus proposal. During a moderated caucus, you will raise your placard if you wish to speak. If you are lucky, the Chair will call on you, at which point you should stand up and start orating about the matter at hand. Moderated caucuses are the core of Model United Nations, and mastering them is key to securing awards.
4.) What if I finish speaking before my time is up?
This is quite a frequently asked question, and the answer is simple. You can simply give your remaining time away to another person. This is what is called yielding. You can yield one of three ways:
- Yield your time to the Chair (Basically just stop talking and let the chair select somebody else to speak)
- Yield your time to another delegation
- Yield your time to questions from other delegates
To indicate that you want to yield your time, say “I yield my time to (blank)” and sit down. Knowing how to yield your time is essential for Moderated caucuses.
5.) Unmoderated Caucuses: The Breeding Ground for Resolutions
Model United Nations would be little more than elevated debating if it wasn’t for resolutions. Resolutions are the culmination of a delegations’s effort to compromise, argue, and ultimately prepare to solve world problems. Unmoderated Caucuses are where Resolutions begin: they provide a free and open time to talk face to face with other delegations. To propose an Unmoderated caucus, you should raise your placard and say: “Motion for an Unmoderated caucus lasting for (whatever time you want).” If your motion is approved by the popular vote, the Unmoderated Caucus begins. You are free to get up out of your chair, talk to other delegates, walk around, and most importantly, start concocting resolutions. Resolution formatting, which is mildly complex, will be covered by this blog in the future. Here is an important tip: make sure you have made a name for yourself by speaking in Moderated caucuses. That way, you will attract more delegations to your resolution during Unmoderated caucuses.
6.) Presenting Resolutions
At the end of your committee session, the Chair will pull out all of the resolutions she/he has received. Supporters of a certain resolution will be called to the front of the room, where they will go through all of their resolution’s effects. At the end of their brief presentation, the entire committee will vote on whether or not to pass the resolution. The Chair will continue calling up allied delegations until all the resolutions are depleted.
7.) Complications
If time is running out or the committee is on a schedule, the Chair might say that he/she “looks favorably on” a certain motion. This means the Chair regards the motion in question as something that will keep the committee on schedule.
Although Parliamentary procedure is used for the vast majority of Model United Nations committees, there are some exceptions. The International Court of Justice committee, for example, operates almost completely differently. There are also crisis committees, which use parliamentary procedure with a couple major twists. They will usually provide the formatting for their committee for your convenience.
8.) Questions and Desires?
Remember that parliamentary procedure is the trunk of Yggdrasil, it is the foundation for countless committees. If you have any questions about the material here or if you wish the Lead Delegate to add to this post, contact Enloe Model United Nations through the comments section. If you are an Enloe student, feel free to talk to the Lead Delegate directly. Lastly, make us aware of any editing issues here. We are a fledgling blog, it would be catastrophic to sully our reputation with poor grammar. Many thanks!
