Abstract
This chapter explores the dynamics of vertical power relations before and after the financial crisis of 2007, as perceived by city mayors across Europe. Against the thesis of a convergence of intergovernmental relations in the ‘North’ and ‘South’ of Europe, we show how countries from different state traditions have actually followed different paths of decentralisation and centralisation. Differences between North and South persist with regard to not only power relations, but also mayors’ rescaling strategies for enhancing their scope of action. Mayors in the North try to defend their role in the national political system, whereas mayors in the South and East rely heavily on attracting external resources. The investigation of variation within countries suggests that financially troubled cities in the South were more likely to experience a trend towards recentralisation, whereas cities in economic hardship in Central Eastern Europe show signs of complementing their economic rescaling strategy with a political strategy for resisting centralisation.
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Notes
- 1.
We rely on two survey items, asking for the perceived shift of influence between (a) ‘regional’ and ‘national’ and (b) ‘local’ and ‘regional’ levels. On both these axes, respondents were asked to indicate whether the balance of influence has remained ‘identical’ (4), or whether it has shifted ‘much more’ (1) towards the first mentioned level or ‘much more’ towards the second mentioned level (7). In between these extremes and the middle-category, ‘more’ and ‘a little more’ influence towards either direction was offered as an answer. The wording of the question was very similar in both surveys. 2015/2016: ‘Consequently, drawing on your experience of local political life, how would you characterise the changes in influence that have occurred in the last decade among the main actors in local affairs?’ 2003/2004: ‘Could you characterise briefly the changes in influence that have occurred in the last decade among the various actors in local affairs. Indicate which, in the following couples, acquired relatively more influence drawing on your experience in your work as a mayor.’
- 2.
Unfortunately, neither of the two surveys included an item on perceived power shifts on a direct axis between ‘local’ and ‘national’. Particularly for countries where regional authorities have no supervision over local governments, we must be aware that centralisation needs not to involve regions as intermediaries (e.g. Denmark, Greece, Hungary, Poland, Sweden; see Table 16.4 in Bertrana and Heinelt 2011). Nonetheless, even in these countries the regional level can serve as a benchmark against which the influence of local and national level is being assessed.
- 3.
We also calculated a separate model only for Greece, Portugal, Spain and Italy, equally finding a significantly positive effect of a city’s poor financial situation, as in the model shown for all Napoleonic countries.
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Appendix
Appendix
Absolute values for local autonomy and regional authority as measured by Local Autonomy Index/Regional Authority Index in 2010/2014, countries covered by the first and/or second European Mayor Survey. Note: For the regional authority index the most recent values are for 2010. For the second round we therefore depict the values for 2010 rather than 2014. For England, the values were calculated on behalf of the regional scores of the Regional Authority Index. Regarding local autonomy, the values for England are taken from the UK, since more detailed indices are not available
Relative changes of the values of the Local Autonomy Index/Regional Authority Index over the decade preceding the two surveys (only countries covered by both surveys). Note: For the Regional Authority Index the most recent values are for 2010; therefore, the change before 2015 encompasses only six years, rather than a decade. For England, the underlying scores were calculated on behalf of the regional scores of the Regional Authority Index. Regarding local autonomy, the values are taken from the UK score and must not be valid for England
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Dlabac, O., Lackowska, M., Kübler, D. (2018). Vertical Relations After the Financial Crisis. In: Heinelt, H., Magnier, A., Cabria, M., Reynaert, H. (eds) Political Leaders and Changing Local Democracy . Governance and Public Management. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-67410-0_10
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