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European Municipalities as Agents of Changes

Democracy
Development
Elections
Governance
Local Government
Political Leadership
Voting Behaviour
S24
Simona Kukovic
University of Ljubljana
Petr Voda
Masaryk University

Endorsed by the ECPR Standing Group on Local Government and Politics


Abstract

Contemporary Europe is witness to numerous changes and crises. Although the main burden of addressing these rests on the shoulders of national politics, municipalities (are) often (expected to) play a crucial role in these processes. They are the primary level of social organisation where people interact daily, share mutual interests and collectively address wicked issues. When municipalities embrace change and find proper ways of dealing with it, they can have a lasting and positive impact on society as a whole. The main objective of the 2024 Local Government and Politics section is to highlight the importance of (European) municipalities as agents of various changes of society, such as political, social, cultural, climatic, technological and economic ones and the opportunities and challenges these provide or pose. It scrutinizes if and how municipal authorities are able to accommodate these changes and the extent to and manner in which the latter also affect the functioning of local governance in turn. Municipalities are often very closely linked to changing societal conditions. Migration (not only immigration but also spatial moves such as urbanisation and suburbanisation) changes the demographics of municipalities, inflation changes the economy of municipalities, the populist turn changes the political landscape, new technologies change the way municipal institutions communicate with their residents, and this list could go on and on. All these processes pose a challenge to local government and local democracy more broadly, prompting us to ask a variety of research questions. How does climate change alter local politics? How are urbanisation and suburbanisation affecting institutional settings and cooperation in European localities? How does the changing national political landscape affect representation at the local level? How does inflation affect the performance of local governments in delivering public services? How are policies on new issues being decided and implemented? How is the relationship between people and political representation changing? What is the role of innovative democratic instruments in adapting to change? Moreover, in an increasingly complex world, local politics is less and less locked within administrative boundaries. Many tasks require cooperation between municipalities or with other governmental levels or societal actors. Cooperation is often a deliberative choice of municipalities, but can also take a more unwilling form such as in the case of territorial reforms. Moreover, to be effective agents of change, municipalities often need communication, collaboration, a shared vision and, above all, strong leadership. Local leaders face multiple changes every day. They work in an environment of radical uncertainty and have to face difficult compromises between social, political and economic challenges. In recent years, they have been at the frontline of crisis management and often have to adopt measures and responsive policies with significant consequences for local leadership. This less exposed dimension of leadership, i.e. dealing with change and adapting to new realities, is high on the list of most important tasks, not only for mayors but also for local councillors.
Code Title Details
P210 Smart cities and Horizontal cooperation in Europe View Panel Details
P253 Local climate and environmental politics View Panel Details
P255 Local government and inclusive policies View Panel Details
P257 Local parties – disrupting or invigorating local democracy? View Panel Details
P258 Mayors and Elites: Unraveling Dynamics of Power, Governance, and Accountability View Panel Details
P272 Municipal Councillors in Europe: diversity of the perceptions, roles, and political responsibilities I View Panel Details
P273 Municipal Councillors in Europe: diversity of the perceptions, roles, and political responsibilities II View Panel Details
P276 Navigating Municipal Amalgamation: Challenges and Opportunities View Panel Details
P302 Participatory Procedures in the Local Policy Process View Panel Details