Germany

The question of local autonomy is inherently present in two current debates about political reform in Germany. First, there is the cost-saving debate, concerned with more efficient service delivery in times of severe economic constraints. Today, local authorities ¹ implement approximately 70 per cent of all federal and state legislation and account for three-quarters of all public investment (Knemeyer 2001: 172). Local authorities, therefore, are important agents in state activity and theoretically are in a far better position than state or federal agencies to decide about efficient service delivery. Second, there is the democratic debate referring to local governments' role in strengthening citizens' integration at a time of continuing political alienation. Local authorities in Germany also represent the most direct access point for people's needs and concerns with regard to public administration. Both the efficiency and the participatory aspects are closely related to the question of local autonomy and the freedom of municipalities to decide about relevant matters.