In France, prior to 2017, national MPs held the right to hold an executive position in local governments. Using individual-level data over twenty years and an RD design, I find that voters neither penalize nor value dual officeholding. At the same time, dual officeholders do allocate significantly less of their time to tasks which are useful to the nation but provide little local recognition. This public good situation explains how dual officeholding may thrive despite being a detrimental practice overall.

100-page textbook on public economics written by the contributors to the former blog "Ecopublix".