ABSTRACT
This chapter considers whether the decentralisation process in Macedonia has contributed to widening effective political participation and strengthening democracy at the local level, and has thereby also contributed to addressing a significant political grievance of the Albanian community during the 1990s. It argues that while decentralisation has expanded the potential space available for citizens to participate in local governance, it has not sufficiently guaranteed the participation of local communities, or that their participation is both equitable and effective. The chapter also suggests that advocates of the decentralisation process in Macedonia have failed to sufficiently appreciate the extent to which the over-dominance of some political parties, which lack democracy in their internal management structures and decision-making processes, and the pervasiveness of patronage-based politics in daily life has undermined its potential benefits. One significant factor deterring citizens from participating in local affairs is the pervasiveness of patronage politics or clientelism in Macedonia.
