Politicians

**Mig el Pig** · May 09, 2007, 11:35 AM

In my country we got 2 levels of goverment a national and a regional one. (and a european one)

Elections aren't held at the same time so quite often politicians try to get elected on a national level while they already have a regional mandate given to them by their voters.

This causes to make it more difficult for the (R) goverment to actually govern.
IF they get elected they first need to get aquinted with their department (on a regional level) and after a year some start preparing for a national campaign so they delay the (R)govermement and sometimes quit. So they have to reorganize the (R) goverment again.

Last national elections even the head of the (R)goverment left for a national function which ofcourse was critisized by the opposition.

Now one of their party members has that function since the last regioanl elections and he sort of promised to fullfil his function.

But since their are new national elections he decided to put in his candidacy.

According to him he doesn't break his word because the voters can decide wether to vote for him or not.

If he gets the needed vote he'll go for the function and sees it as approval of the voters that he did the right thing.

If he doesn't get the votes he'll stay where he is and he won't have broken his word.

I know politicians sometimes lie abit but this one is a marvel imho.
But i'm just wondering what you think about this situation. (or if you have a similar story)

The country i'm living in is Belgium(flanders) and the politician i'm speaking about is of the Flemish christian democrat party.(but please leave religion out of this thread)

**morteduzionism** · May 09, 2007, 12:19 PM

Being an American I'm not very knowledgeable on other forms of govt. As much as I try I just can't understand govts like Israel/Iraq/Britain...your country sounds just as complicated...however it seems like there is a simple solution:

couldn't a law be passed creating minimum term limits for regional govt. officials?

Im not sure, in your country, how laws are made/passed but it seems that the problem is regional officials leaving their jobs before they've done anything for the people. Wouldn't a law saying, if elected to a regional office an official must spend (x) year(s) in the position prevent this from happening again?

If the problem is corruption...I'm afraid nothing short of violence will solve the problem(imo)...if there is money to be made in the national govt. Im not sure how you're going to get anyone, Regional politicians as well since they're trying to get to the money as fast as possible, to support forcing officials to "do work" as opposed to "getting paid"...