Territorial Identities and Decentralised Power: the Discoursive Construction of IGR in Italy by Regional Presidents.

This paper investigates the shifting nature of intergovernmental relations (IGR) in Italy through the lens of political communication. Building on a critical review of existing literature, it argues that the conflictual and informal dynamics between central and regional governments are not only institutional but discursively constructed upon issues of territorial identity. By applying the framework of discursive institutionalism, the study explores how regional presidents publicly articulate their positions and negotiate competences in an interests and accountability-laden distributive policy such the NRRP. Drawing on press and official and unofficial statements made in institutional settings but also via social media, the analysis highlights how discourse shapes perceptions of legitimacy, authority, and autonomy. Scholars have identified three explanatory factors of IGR—executive prominence, entangled competences, and interaction patterns. We introduce a fourth, underexplored dimension: the role of local identities as expressed in political narratives. This sociological angle reveals how ideas circulate across levels of government, influencing both formal and informal coordination. Ultimately, the study calls for an integration of communication analysis into IGR research, to better understand how discursive practices mediate intergovernmental conflict.