 The first elections under the new law were held in December 2008 and the new chamber first convened in January 2009.Some Sark residents have complained that the new system is not democratic and have described the powers the new law granted to the Seneschal, an unelected member whose term the new law extended to the duration of his natural life, as imperial or dictatorial.The Court of Appeal had ruled his powers to be in breach of the European Convention on Human Rights and his powers were subject to further legal challenges on these grounds.