Can a city mayor be a member of the national parliament in your country?

[SeekTruthFromFacts]

As mentioned earlier, this is constitutional and legal in the UK. It is, however, seen as politically and electorally foolish in England. This is becoming a big issue this year, because the current Mayor of London (Boris Johnson) is favourite to become the next leader of his party. However, everyone assumes that this is currently impossible - he'd have to resign as Mayor and then win as a Member of Parliament.

In Northern Ireland, it was very common until recently. Ian Paisley, as pointed out, was a Northern Ireland MLA, British MP, and European MEP from 1998 to 2004 (as well as being a preacher, party leader, and septugenarian!). His successor as party leader, Peter Robinson, was also First Minister of Northern Ireland, a British MP and a Northern Ireland MP for three years. He had previously been a local councillor as well. Although he dropped the local position just before he became First Minister, it was widely believed that he controlled all the big decisions in the East Belfast local government. Both these men employed family members to help them manage their multiple roles - their son/wife respectively would handle many meetings and social functions. It's also easier because Northern Ireland only has 1.5m people: everyone knows everyone (on their side of the barricades) anyway.

I guess this was very similar to the French situation.

I have a question for Marla Singer, though. From my knowledge of French politics in the 50s and 60s, maires had fairly limited powers, so it wasn't a big job. It just gave you opportunities to do small favours for your friends. The prefects ran most things, and were centrally appointed. Has that changed with the new regional governments?

 

[GhostWriter16]

If nothing else, because both offices are really full time jobs. No person could hold both offices and do more than a notably poor job at both. And the voters wouldn't stand for it for long either. They don't elect a person to one office and then put up with him holding that office and doing a different one.

In Bloomberg's case he's already crap and he's only doing one job at once

 

[Agent327]

This:

If a member of a town/city/county council or a member of the senate or European parliament gets elected to another role they must resign from their original seat within a specified period.

In the Netherlands no local electives are in provincial or national assemblies. I would think that natural, as the opposite breeds corruption.

There will always be conflicts of interest between local and interlocal (or national) interests, just as there are always conlicts of interests between nations and supranational bodies.

 

[dutchfire]

Actually, some PVVers were city or provincial counciler during their stay in the Lower House.

 

[Agent327]

I did not know that. Interesting that they didn't find it necessary to give up those other seats. But then again, the PVV isn't an actual political party: it's a movement, with a non-elected leader.