Local Government in Europe

Abstract

Introduction: The Local Government in the EU Multi-Layered System of Governance, Panara and Varney 1. Municipalities as the Third Tier of Austrian Federalism, Harald Eberhard 2. Local Governance in Belgium: A 'Catch 22' Between Autonomy and Hierarchy, Alexander De Becker 3. Local Self-Government in the Czech Republic: History, Current Position, Prospective Evolution, Richard Pomahac 4. Territorial Decentralisation in France: Towards Autonomy and Democracy, Irene Couzigou 5. Local Government in Germany: An Indispensable Level of EU Governance, Eike Michael Frenzel 6. Local Authorities in Greece: Organisation, Recent Trends, European Integration, Reform, and the Kapodistrias Tendency, Grigoris Avdikos 7. Local Government in Hungary: A Creeping Centralisation?, Zoltan Szente 8. Organisation and Responsibilities of the Local Authorities in Italy Between Unity and Autonomy, Stefano Villamena 9. Local Authorities in the Polder - Dutch Municipalities and Provinces. 10. Local Government in Poland: Towards Consolidation?, Boguslaw Banaszak 11. Ungovernable Spain: Regional Subsidiarity and the Crisis of Local Governance, Gonzalo Villalta Puig 12. Local Government in Sweden: Flexibility and Independence in a Unitary State, Vilhelm Persson 13. Local Government in England: Localism Delivered?, Michael Varney 14. Conclusion: The Contribution of Local Self-Government to Constitutionalism in the Member States and in the EU Multi-Layered System of Governance, Carlo Panara and Michael R. Varney