Should world leaders work 9-5?

US Presidential Candidate George W Bush likes to linger over two-hour lunch breaks, despises meetings longer than 10 minutes and likes to be out of the office by 5 o'clock sharp.

His style is a far cry from workaholic Bill Clinton who is on call 24 hours a day to solve the latest crisis. Former British PM Margaret Thatcher famously said she only needed five hours sleep a night.

However UK Prime Minister Tony Blair reportedly has time off in the evenings to spend time with his family. Norway's former Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik took a month off because he was stressed.

Should leaders take the laid back approach so they can lead relatively normal lives? Or do you think working flat-out 24-7 goes with the territory of running a country?

This debate is now closed. Read a selection of your comments below.

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Your reaction

I think world leaders should follow Clinton's example

Bethan, Wales

Time never stops and nor, apparently, do the wars. Although regional ministers can afford to be a bit slack with less responsibility, I think world leaders should follow Clinton's example. However, I can understand Blair taking a few hours off - he does have a baby after all, and they don't make for the best of sleep.
Bethan, Wales - and proud of it!

The quality of the hours are important and not the quantity or the lack of it.
Bassam Sulaiman, Kuwait

Running a country is a 24 hour job, any fool can see that. Politics doesn't stop at 5pm. By all means spend time with one's family, but it would be grossly stupid to expect being the executive of a country and work 9-5. The sign of a good leader is dedication, this is not the way to show it.
Alex White, UK

. If another nation launches its missiles, waiting until 9am to deal with it isn't an option

Karl Peters, UK

It is good to get out of the office at 5pm sharp. It is nice to have long lunch hours and keep meetings short and to the point. However, I would be very concerned if George W were unwilling to be called at any time of day or night if, some crisis requiring his attention were to occur. If another nation launches its missiles, waiting until 9am to deal with it isn't an option.
Karl Peters, UK

The entire question of working hours for world leaders is moot, especially in the USA where election to the presidential post is a carefully orchestrated media affair having much more to do with air time, fund raising, opinion polls, baby kissing and 'third way politics' The president doesn't need to be on call 24-7. After all, his PR team, opinion formers and research teams are on call for him.
Huan-Tzin, New Zealand

The world would be a much better place to live had Madeleine Albright worked 9-5. She seems to be always busy selecting the country to be bombed next

Biren, Nepal

The world would be a much better place to live had Madeleine Albright worked 9-5. She seems to be always busy selecting the country to be bombed next.
Biren, Nepal

Being president isn't a job; it's a leadership role not a 9 to 5 cushy job! Hhave we really become that lazy and that naive to think that the leader of any main country can work 9 to 5. of course Norway's leader can work less hours. His country is a middle country with very little influence in the world. If politicians wan to work hours that fit in with their everyday lives then quite frankly they shouldn't have become MPs.
Steve, UK

Clearly a world leader's job, by its nature, requires a 24-hour per day availability. However, this does not mean that he or she should schedule their working day at more than a "normal" level. Leaders should manage other leaders and delegate as much as is reasonable (or perhaps possible). The best quality of a leader is his/her ability to choose, inspire, and extract the best from the people that they manage. All of this requires enormous energy.
George Milton, USA

There are a number of tasks attributed to certain jobs which can't be delegated. Even if the contents of speeches, comments, etc are created by someone else, to make it official the political leaders are required to are those views, opinions, etc. So I think, as they have a lot to do and chose the job, they have to cope with the pressures that come with the job.
Volker, England

Can George W Bush do a better job for the country in those 9am-5pm hours than Al Gore if he works 5am-11pm?

Paul C, England

Accepting the position of leader of your nation is not accepting a job, it is accepting a complete change of who you are. Nowadays the 9-5 concept isn't very strong - it's about getting your workload done. If the President of the USA has a 3 hour meeting start at 4 o'clock then he'll have to go home at 7 - that's the way it is. Having said that, the President is (supposed to be) the boss and as such should be able to make his own choice. The real question is can George W Bush do a better job for the country in those 9am-5pm hours than Al Gore if he works 5am-11pm?
Paul C, England

Well, they're only human, but they'd be on call 24/7 wherever they were or whatever they were doing, like lots of people. It's more about the quality of the decisions they make, which they can't do if they're deprived of sleep. Besides, I doubt Bush will want to sleep until he's dealt it back to Saddam anyway.
Jon Kirk, England

Maggie was renowned for the long hours that she worked. However, is this necessarily healthy? Does it set a good example for the society that the leader is supposed to represent? We are already a nation of workaholics. Why should we live to work, not work to live? As an aside, is the fact that certain leaders put in so many hours a reflection on their inability to do their jobs? If that is the case they should delegate more and be prepared to put some trust in their ministerial colleagues to fulfil their roles effectively.
Bryan Johnston, UK

I think it should be up to the person. As you know, Margaret Thatcher worked 20 hours a day, sometimes more. Ronald Reagan took it easy. However, being president or prime minister means that it is impossible to have a normal life; you're ALWAYS on call and you have to be ready to handle a crisis.
Jeff, USA

I would welcome any evidence that showed that Tony Blair works anywhere near as much as 9-to-5. He doesn't attend Parliament (what he's paid to do); he doesn't take responsibility (what he's paid to do); he doesn't listen to majority opinion(what he's paid to do); he doesn't stand up for British interests (what he's paid to do);he surrounds himself with student Marxists and homosexuals (very democratic!); introduces alien legislation that will enrich his wife (what he would probably call "inclusivity"); he supports the mad outpourings of MacPherson and the Runnymede Trust (thereby insulting everyone who was foolish enought to vote for him); he sees the Dome of the first chapter of the next Labour manifesto (he got that one right); he hates the British in general and the English in particular(help me out on this one - who voted for him?); Oh, thank God he doesn't work a full day.
David K, England

If you take on the responsibility of running a country, you take on the disadvantages that go with it

Sue Dray, UK

Whilst it is important for everyone to have an adequate amount of rest, leading a country is a 24hr, 365 day a year job. Similar to caring for children and I don't hear anyone in power saying that parents should only care for their kids on a 9-5 basis. If you take on the responsibility of running a country, you take on the disadvantages that go with it. There are after all plenty of advantages as well, long holidays (just how long does Parliament have out over the summer?), paid for holidays, free flights, nice house in the country, shall I continue? All leaders know what they are getting into when they are elected but the draw of power is just too great for them. So we should not be asking if they are working too hard. It's what they are paid for.
Sue Dray, UK

I don't. Why should they?
Janet, UK

The less hours politicians work the better for the rest of us!
Chris, England

It's the kind of comment you would expect from such a political lightweight as George "W" Bush. What's more worrying is that a good chunk of America are prepared to vote for him!
Dave Whyte, UK

Clinton and Thatcher were just bad at their jobs hence requiring constant hands on involvement!

Mark Lisle, Germany

The real men in power the civil servants only work 5 days a week and 8 hours a day and in Britain they hold the real power and tell our elected representatives what to do. At the end of the day leaders make policy and should delegate the actions. Clinton and Thatcher were just bad at their jobs hence requiring constant hands on involvement!
Mark Lisle, Germany

Next thing we shall hear Bush talking about is flexitime for him! Lets not forget that for that prestigious position, there is always one person at a time. How can we lower standards to such an extent as having strict work schedules for the man/woman who gets the highest wages in the country?
Grace Akello, Uganda

Why should the leaders get 9 to 5 hours, when the rest of us have to work longer for less salary?
Paul Williams, UK

The people at the top of any job are paid to perform the way it is necessary. At that elevation they use the power of delegation so it is not really a necessity for them to work all hours of the day. Doing so in a normal situation shows that they have not fully grasped the technicalities of the post and are therefore probably in the wrong job!
John C., Warwick, England

World leaders should work around the clock and sleep as little as is humanly possible. As if world events ever take a siesta.

Jose Fernandez, Netherland

They should work until the drop. Mr Reagan could sleep in the afternoon, as no one ever noticed any difference between him sleeping or being awake! World leaders should work around the clock and sleep as little as is humanly possible. As if world events ever take a siesta.
Jose Fernandez, Netherlands

Governor Bush has already admitted that he will have 'smart' advisers around him to do the legwork. His job, I suppose will be to stand in front of cameras to announce what has already been decided. You certainly do not need a productive 8-hour effort to accomplish that.
Blaise Oduor, US

Interesting question. I can't conceive of any world leader who'd have the temerity to work from 9-5. I'm sure they exist, but they better not be in the United States, that's for sure! The President of the United States and members of our Congress all make six-figure incomes (at the high end too)!
John Paul Rosario, United States

Yes, but as they are 'world' leaders, they should work 9-5 of all the countries from west to east, which surely makes 24 hrs for them.
Ashish, USA

Making decisions at 2:00am, unless it is an emergency, doesn't help anybody

Alex Davies, UK

As with most jobs it is effective time management, not just the absolute numbers of hours you work, which determines how effective you are. Making decisions at 2:00am, unless it is an emergency, doesn't help anybody. It has to be said that all political leaders like Clinton have an army of people to do most of the hard work for them anyway. Perhaps Chief Executives should consider "power-napping" which they have in Japan for stressed CEOs. Or could it be that politicians in fact like to present an image of a macho, up-all-night working style to impress the voters?
Alex Davies, UK

The rest of us have to work long hours, so why not them too? I expect George W. Bush needs the time off for some geography lessons.
Nick, UK

Let's pay politicians of all sorts by the hour.
CF, Canada

Ronald Reagan was perhaps the most effective American president during my 77 year lifetime. He demonstrated that an afternoon nap restores the mind. By the time a person has worked day after day ten to twelve hours per day s(he) will begin making mistakes because of fatigue.
Calvin, USA

I don't think for one moment that if George W. was president he would say, Crisis in Russia... "it's five after five, we'll pick it up first thing in the morning"

Kenneth M Fallis, USA

Who cares? Most people are not of the intelligence to understand what goes on in the Oval Office or at Number 10. I don't think for one moment that if George W. was president he would say, Crisis in Russia... "it's five after five, we'll pick it up first thing in the morning". This question is just a bait for stupid peoples comments and Democrats. By the way, even though Clinton was a supposed "workaholic", he sure as heck had time to share a cigar with an intern.
Kenneth M Fallis, USA

From Dubya's comments, it appears that he may be the quintessential middle manager: Doesn't want too much information, delegates as much as possible, takes all of the credit, and none of the blame.
People who are successful are usually the ones who eat, breathe, and live their jobs, and I do believe that this is the kind of personality we need in positions of power, not someone who demands weekends off.
Dave McLaughlin, USA

I think world leaders do deserve time off during the week to spend time with family and friends but when it comes to someone like George Bush saying he wants to work as little as possible we should ignore him as many Americans are doing. He is doing a bad enough job in Texas I dread to think what will happen if he becomes President of the USA (aaaaaaaah!)
Matthew Crouchley, UK/USA

If you want a laid back life, do not choose a stressful job.

Patricia van der Veer, Nova Scotia, Canada

I think that in today's working world we are conveniently forgetting the difference between a job and a vocation. Certain people, be they teachers, policeman, medical staff or political leaders, hopefully chose those professions to better conditions for their fellow man. If my possibly naive view is indeed true, certain sacrifices in ones personal life do have to be made. World leaders, in one way are more fortunate than most others in that their tenure is time limited. This gives them the unique opportunity to throw everything they have at world problems, with the knowledge of an end date. If you want a laid back life, do not chose a stressful job.
Patricia van der Veer, Nova Scotia, Canada

Meglomania has its price. No sympathies here.
Carl Hensman, UK in USA

9 to 5 is a pretty old-fashioned concept these days with a tendency towards a 24 hour, 7 days a week culture in most western countries. Therefore such an out-of-touch concept should suit politicians perfectly!
Trev, Ireland

Governor Bush's position is eminently sensible. Being a politician is not part of the emergency services: making political decisions when exhausted at three o'clock in the morning cannot do anyone any good. Personally, I advocate a four-day working week for everybody.
J Knight, UK

Leaders are human too! They need enough sleep and relaxation to be able to think clearly and make good decisions. Lack of sleep can lead to paranoia, irritability and even psychosis. The more important the decisions that need to be made, the more important it is that the person making those decisions is functioning optimally. Mrs Thatcher only took 4 hours sleep a night, and it showed!
S Pilchard, UK

I guess the Russians will just have to leave a message on the hot line voice mail after 5pm

Joe Wocoski, USA

With Al Gore, we know that he is like the energizer bunny. As President Al will keep going and going and going. With George Bush, I guess the Russians will just have to leave a message on the hot line voice mail after 5pm, or they could always call his daddy.
Joe Wocoski, USA

A overworked stressed out country leader is even more dangerous than anyone else being overworked. Would YOU want a stressed, overworked person with their finger on the button.
They need rest like the rest of us. We should strive for quality of work, working smarter rather than longer after all it's only a job.
Ruaridh Shuttleworth, Scotland

They are strictly speaking on call duty 24 hours a day

Albert Devakaram, India

As the country's chief executives, be it the President or Prime Minister, they are strictly speaking on call duty 24 hours a day. This means sacrificing the immediate family and friends for the sake of the nation. If politicians are unable to fulfil this criteria they should not aspire to become the chief executives.
A successful chief executive is one who is able to devote enough time for ruling the country even as he or she finds some time to spend with his family, friends and simultaneously pursue his or hobbies. The person should somehow allocate time to sleep six hours in the night, which is more than sufficient for a normal human being.
Albert Devakaram, India

If a leader has chosen the right ministers and advisers, there should be no reason why they should work themselves out flat. A leader is still human after all, and we do have our limitations.
Ade Talabi, UK

It shows that in today's world, statesmanship is all about photo opportunities and sound bites. As such it fits nicely into a 9 to 5 work routine. These days the hard work on policy is done by political flunkies in the background.
Mac, Scotland

Does the average person work 9 to 5 anymore? The leader of a country is not an ordinary job, needs an extraordinary person and does not include ordinary hours. By the sounds of it I certainly wouldn't employ George W Bush. He sounds to be work shy and not committed to his work. And he is a possible leader of a country? Glad it's not my country that's for sure.
Kenneth, England

What's the point of occupying such a position if all you intend to do is relax and enjoy the perks?

R Tolkien, Australia

What!!!! Get the top job and then take a holiday. I've been waiting three years to see my MP who just happens to be the PM, and I don't look like getting to see him before he retires. What chance if 9 - 5 is de rigour? What's the point of occupying such a position if all you intend to do is relax and enjoy the perks? You can do that when you retire; or are the world's problems already solved and no one has told me?
R Tolkien, Australia

With a 9-to-5 schedule George W. would be calling it a day before he even reached a summit like the one just finished in the Middle East. Then again, in his case we might all be better off if he did.
N. Montgomery, American living in England

What we need is people who work smart, not a lot. If these politicians can get a good job done within an 8 hour day, all the better. On the other hand someone with that kind of responsibility does also need to be reachable in case of an emergency
John A. Aoun, USA

George W. Bush would certainly need the extra time to read up on Foreign Policy and call home to Daddy to hold his hand at night, when the rest of the World will not play with him. Go back to Texas Georgey Boy and clean up the pollution.
Phil Sullivan, UK/USA

As a country leader you are expected to be available at any hour of the day

James Jeffrey, USA, but British

Oh come on, these people know what comes with the job, as a country leader you are expected to be available at any hour of the day. This doesn't mean they can't relax at home with their family, but the instance of a leader taking a month off due to stress is absurd.
James Jeffrey, USA, but British