In sovereignty’s shadow: The limitations of decentralisation under federalism and multilevel approaches to governance

Abstract

The focus of this paper is to outline how the foundational approach of decentralisation inherent in federalist and multilevel governance (MLG) systems is incompatible with the indivisible nature of sovereign authority. Via an examination of the structural elements of these systems, their strengths and weaknesses, and an evaluation of the concept of sovereignty, this paper posits that the requirement for an identifiable central sovereign power in governance remains immovable, despite attempts to diffuse this power across multiple actors and governing levels. It further posits that attempts to divide this sovereign power ultimately destroy it, creating governing crises by delegitimising and undermining governmental authority across all levels. An evaluation of the evidence presented supports this contention and raises numerous questions that bear further consideration.