Points and Motions are the tools used in Model United Nations delegates use to communicate with their chairs and fellow delegates. It is the formal language to ask for things, clarify things and, when necessary, appeal them.
In this article, Team YLCC brings you a detailed coverage of points and motions that are used in an MUN. Read on!
Points In An MUN
- Point of Order – these are used to correct a procedural error.
E.g. The chair forgot Roll Call. - Point of Inquiry – Used to ask the Dais a question regarding Parliamentary Procedure.
- Point of Personal Privilege – A delegate may rise on a point of personal privilege in order to bring to the attention of the Dais any physical difficulty that is disrupting the proper functioning of the assembly.
- Point of Information – A delegate may direct a point of information towards the Dais when uncertain of procedural or substantive matters. A delegate may not interrupt a speaker on a point of information directed towards the Dais.
Not always permitted and used only during the speakers list
Motions In An MUN
- How To Motion For A Moderated Caucus – “Motion for a 9-minute Moderated Caucus with 45 second speaking time on the topic of Renewable Energy sources”
Note – For a Moderated Caucus – make sure that the total Caucus time is divided equally by the number of Speakers. Common Moderated Caucus times: 10 Minutes with 30 Second speaking time, 9 Minutes with 45 Second speaking time, 6 Minutes with 30 Second speaking time.
- – “Motion for a 15-minute Unmoderated Caucus on the topic of writing Resolutions”
- – “Motion for a 12-minute Gentleman’s Unmod on the topic of discussing the recent Crisis update”
- “Motion to Introduce the friendly amendment added to Draft Resolution X”
- How To Motion To Move Into Voting Procedure – “Motion to move into Voting procedure on all submitted Draft Resolutions with 2 for and 2 against speakers”
- – “Motion to vote Clause by Clause on Resolution Alpha”
- – “Motion for a Roll Call Vote on Resolution Z”
EXTRAORDINARY MOTIONS
- Motion To Censure– A delegate may move for the censure of another delegate if he/she feels that the delegate, delegation or officer has been consistently and purposely out of order or disorderly. This motion should be used with caution. If censured, a delegate loses the right to speak in committee for the remainder of the day, or for a period of time prescribed by the Dais.
- Motion To Suspend Meeting– A delegate may rise on a point of order if he or she feels that a delegation has committed a serious breach of its country’s foreign policy; a delegate rising on such a point shall be required to demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Dais that the breach is sufficiently serious to warrant the attention of the assembly. If the allegedly offending delegate cannot successfully substantiate their actions, the Dais may rule them out of order. As a last resort, a major breach of foreign policy is grounds for censure.
- Motion For A Round Robin– A delegate may motion to enter a Round Robin where all delegates have an opportunity to speak in consecutive order once. When motioning, the delegate must include a speaking time. The delegate has the right to speak first or last.
- Motion For A Straw Poll- Delegates may motion to conduct a straw poll on a resolution or question, in order to assess the committee’s feelings on said topic. This poll follows all the rules for regular voting procedure, but has no substantive weight in the committee.
- Motion To Divide The Question – “Motion to Divide the Question on Clause 4 in Resolution Y”
HOW TO USE MOTIONS IN A STRATEGIC MANNER
1. GIVE YOUR BLOCK A CHANCE TO REPEAT A SPEECH
Most Points of Personal Privilege are called within a few seconds of a speech starting. However, if used half way through a speech, this can give a member of your block the opportunity to repeat their speech, if a Point of Personal Privilege about lack of clarity or hearing can be justified.
2. GET IN AN EXTRA WORD
Once the floor is opened to motions, a delegate can motion for a moderated caucus they know will not pass just to get an idea, in a single sentence, into the discussion without waiting for their turn on the speakers list.
3. GETTING THAT LONGER SPEECH
While occasionally your room will love you enough to pass a 5 minute moderated caucus with 5 minutes speakers time, often such motions won’t even get a second. However, motioning for a 10 minute moderated caucus with 2.5 minutes speaking time will often have a good chance of passing. After the first few hours, when fatigue sets in, might be a good time to strategically offer this motion.
4. AT LEAST SOMETHING SHOULD PASS!
Often chairs, and many delegates, want something to pass. This is the case for many even if it isn’t their resolution and especially true if everything seems like it’s going to fail. Some chairs might even also encourage the committee to re-vote to make sure something passes. The resolution to get a pity vote or be revoted is almost always the last one to be voted on. If you know your resolution has a majority you should be fine. In cases where there is no clear majority, motion to reorder the resolutions early in the voting procedure with yours towards the end. If you are too strong a member of your block see if someone less obvious can motion for the reordering.
5. WHICH QUESTION TO VOTE ON?
A more subtle way to get a specific clause to pass is to divide the question into three documents with pairings that lump important clauses with unimportant ones. This could result in all of them passing or the one without your clauses getting knocked out.
6. SURPRISE YIELD TO THE OTHER BLOCK
One thing the blocks opposing your ideas rarely expect is to be yielded time from your side. If you yield the last 20 or so seconds to them it usually isn’t enough time for them to mount a sufficient response and can sometime unfocus them. They might even yield you time back.
7. STAY RELEVANT THROUGH A STRATEGIC RIGHT OF REPLY
If you want your point to stick, yourself to be mentioned more, put a sentence or two in your speech which insults another country in the room. Their right of reply will focus both on you, and often, on the point you are making, giving it more air time.
8. IS THIS HOW WE DO THAT?
Instead of motioning to do a specific action, sometimes it is better to get the idea into everyone’s head by asking a Point of Parliamentary Enquiry. This can also be a good tool to gauge where the room is. For example, asking the chair “Is now where we vote clause by clause?” and looking at the rooms reaction can show you where the room stands on this issue.
9. POI, WHY DID YOU INSULT ME?
Sometimes a country will say something insulting but a chair would not recognize it as right of reply worthy. If this is done during the general speakers list, after the speech as a Point of Information and, after being accepted, say the same things you would for a right of reply.
YLCC would like to thank its Content Team for their valuable insights in this article.
