ABSTRACT

Debates about multi-level governance have led to a profound restructuring of regional and local government. The second level of local government is under review in most European countries, with the aim to strengthen the institutional capacity of municipalities or to develop appropriate institutional structures for governing fragmented urban areas.

This book provides a thematic and cross-national analysis of the key actors in local government that form the crucial components of effective and democratic policy making. Focussing on the second tier of local government, it examines new empirical data on councillors from this level of government in 15 European countries and integrates important variables such as party politics, notions of democracy, finance, multi-level settings. Divided into five parts, it addresses:

    • Attitudes of county/provincial councillors towards administrative and territorial reforms;
    • Their role perceptions and role behaviour;
    • Their political orientation;
    • Actor constellations and governance arrangements;
    • Political socialization and recruitment, professionalization and career patterns of county/provincial councillors.

This book will be of interest to students and scholars of local government, urban studies, regional studies, political science, sociology and geography.

chapter 1|14 pages

Introduction

ByXAVIER BERTRANA, BJÖRN EGNER, HUBERT HEINELT

part |2 pages

PART I

chapter 2|16 pages

County councils in a multi-level position: formal powers and assumed autonomy

ByANDERS LIDSTRÖM, KATARINA ROOS

chapter 3|21 pages

Perceptions of New Public Management reforms

ByHUBERT HEINELT AND MAX-CHRISTOPHER KRAPP

chapter 4|21 pages

County councillors: between revenue shortfalls and growing responsibilities

ByDUBRAVKA JURLINA ALIBEGOVIĆ AND

part |2 pages

PART III

chapter 9|16 pages

The importance of political parties in county government

ByCOLIN COPUS, DAVID SWEETING, THOM OLIVER

chapter 11|22 pages

Actors’ infl uence and horizontal power relations at the second tier of local government

ByPANAGIOTIS GETIMIS, NIKOS HLEPAS

part |2 pages

PART IV