ABSTRACT
The development of constitutional regional structures in Europe represents an attempt to reconcile increasing calls for regional autonomy with a desire to retain the borders of the nation-state. Because of this, all these examples exhibit significant asymmetry between those regions which demand greater self-determination and those which ally themselves with the central state. This can be contrasted with the symmetrical nature of the German and Austrian federations and, to a lesser extent, that of Belgium. Nevertheless, as these structures have developed, many of these regions have exhibited similarities with their federal cousins and, in some cases, have enjoyed significantly greater policy independence.
