The proposal for a global parliament of mayors reflects their distinctive, locally-rooted form of legitimacy

American political theorist Benjamin Barber has proposed a greater role for mayors in global governance, reflecting the many ways in which cities are dealing with global issues. Alex Marsh examines the proposal and considers how the form of legitimacy enjoyed by elected mayors differs in important ways from that of national governments. How should a world characterised by increasingly complex interdependence be governed? If most of the major challenges we face have no respect for the artificial borders marking out nation states, how can we identify and deliver effective solutions?