Diverging Pathways in Early Childhood Education Policy: A Comparative Study of Greece and Italy Under the Recovery and Resilience Facility

This study explores the contrasting trajectories of early childhood education and care (ECEC) policies in Greece and Italy, framed by the puzzling variation in their approaches and outcomes despite shared Mediterranean welfare traditions and reliance on the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF). While both countries have faced long-standing challenges in achieving equitable access to ECEC, Greece exhibits a fragmented system with acute deficits in childcare provision, particularly for children under 2.5 years, whereas Italy demonstrates relatively higher enrollment rates but significant regional disparities. Why do two countries with similar socio-political and economic contexts exhibit divergent outcomes in ECEC accessibility and equity, even when supported by the same EU funding framework? This study argues that variations in governance structures, the role of decentralization, and historical institutional arrangements shape how RRF investments are leveraged. In Greece, the centralized yet fragmented system exacerbates implementation bottlenecks, while Italy’s decentralized governance fosters innovation in some regions but entrenches inequities in others. The findings contribute to theoretical debates on how supranational funding mechanisms interact with national institutions to address structural inequalities in public services.