Quality of Governance (QoG) Innovations at National and Subnational Levels of Government during the Pandemic (Covid-19) Crisis: Lessons drawn from Greece and Portugal

The paper discusses quality of governance (QoG) innovations brought about during the pandemic (Covid-19) crisis in Greece and Portugal in comparative perspective. It draws on the institutional theory of participatory governance, political leadership, and crisis management, as well as the theory of institutional and policy change with emphasis on aspects of Quality of Governance (QoG) and trust. The analysis focuses on the interplay between innovations at the national/central state level of governance in the two countries, widely considered as rather centralized states characterised by weak civil societies, and local governance innovations with emphasis on the municipalities of Athens and Lisbon Metropolitan Area (LMA). With regard to the former, qualitative features of transformational political leadership, such as sense-making, decision making & coordinating, meaning making, account giving and learning, are examined as a crucial intervening variables between externally induced crisis and pre-existing domestic institutional infrastructure during and after the crisis period 2020-22. Regarding the latter, the emphasis is placed on participatory local governance innovations in Athens and Lisbon, primarily through strong collaborations between the municipalities and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the areas of emergency housing, adoption of digital technologies in healthcare, collaborative social innovation ecosystems, enhanced outreach to protect highly vulnerable groups, and the development of urban initiatives to enhance city resilience. In particular, the paper will analyse key innovations implemented in Athens, including Emergency Accommodation for homeless individuals and other vulnerable groups; Integrated Support Programs offering housing, healthcare, counseling, and legal support for social reintegration; Expanded Street Outreach to provide essential supplies and pieces of personal protective equipment (PPE); Health and Harm Reduction Services with emphasis on the prevention of transmission; Mapping and Coordination through the Athens Coordination Center for Migrant and Refugee Issues (ACCMR); and Digital Integration initiatives like the START Project offering digital education and skills training to underserved communities. Additionally, the analysis of key innovations implemented by the Lisbon MA in the areas of digital and health, such as Telehealth and Data Management; Contact Tracing Tools; Medical Device Prototypes; Rapid Testing Partnerships; Social and Urban Collaborative Innovation Programs; Harm Reduction Strategies; Digitalization of Business; Startup Ecosystem Growth; and so on, will also be part of the paper. Some of these initiatives have been recognized with awards for innovation, highlighting a shift towards more effective and efficient implementation of social services and a greater willingness to streamline processes (such as shelter intake) that had previously been hindered by bureaucracy. The empirical evidence is expected to contrubute to the understanding of the role of crises or periods of critical juncture in providing policy windows for improving public policy design and implementation through innovation, and enhancing civil society building against an unfavourable preexisting institutional background.