Development Of Local Democracy Research Articles

ВПЛИВ ЛОКАЛЬНИХ ПОЛІТИЧНИХ ІДЕНТИЧНОСТЕЙ НА СТАЛИЙ РОЗВИТОК ТЕРИТОРІАЛЬНИХ ГРОМАД

The article examines the influence of local political identities on the sustainable development of territorial communities. It is noted that local political identity is carried out not only in the political sphere but also in socio-economic practices. A steady increase of scientific interest in local political identities is associated with the decentralization reform and the formation of united territorial communities, the formation of regional political regimes and the regionalization of the party system. The article defines the goals, criteria, and tasks of sustainable development, which are implemented in the strategic development plans of states, urban areas and communities. It is indicated that the influence of local political identities on the capacity and sustainable development of communities is manifested, primarily, in the formation of local self-government bodies that adopt political documents regarding the implementation of current and strategic plans for the socio-economic development of the community, the principles and mechanisms of their implementation. The opportunities of carrying out the political identities of community residents in socio-economic activities depend on the development of local democracy, legal regulation, and instruments of influence of community residents on the formation of local politics (general meetings, petitions, public and electronic consultations, participation in public actions, etc.). It is shown that active public participation and self-organization of the population based on strengthening interested participation, trust and patriotism is an important component of achieving the SDGs at the local level. It is emphasized that it is the local identity that is the basis of cohesion around the SDGs, a guarantee of community members’ responsibility to future generations of the local community. The approaches to involving the public in the process of strategic planning in the community are analysed. It is emphasized that the mechanisms of implementation of public initiatives within the community and the perspective of political decisions of local authorities reflect political views and values of local political identities and peculiarities of their political identification. The factors that have a bad effect on the involvement of citizens in strategic planning are weak local identity, lack of initiative, different strategic goals of developing territorial communities, conflict and lack of compromise among local authorities, etc. Keywords: local political identity, territorial community, sustainable development.

ТЕОРЕТИЧНІ АСПЕКТИ ФЕНОМЕНУ «ТЕРИТОРІАЛЬНА ГРОМАДА»: ПОНЯТТЯ ТА ОЗНАКИ

European integration processes and their intensity have given the impetus to the decentralization of power in Ukraine, which are considered to be one of the most successful reforms at the present stage of the country development. The redistribution of power and resources between the state and local governments involves systemic tools usage in regulating the socio-economic space and achieving macroeconomic stability of territories and the state in general. European models and modern approaches to municipal governance, the development of local democracy were the basis for changes in the territorial organization of power. In the system of local self-government of Ukraine, the key-place belongs to territorial communities that are the subjects of public authority, the primary bearers of functions and powers at the local level. The territorial community is a powerful lever in stimulating the economic activity of the territory through strategic planning of domestic development aimed to improve the economy, living standards and welfare of citizens, meeting the interests, needs, rights and freedoms of man. Strengthening the role of the territorial community, as a guarantor in ensuring the organization of its own life, requires theoretical understanding and study of the essence of this concept as a socio-economic the phenomenon of local government. The article considers the characteristic features of territorial communities in the general theoretical and methodological aspect. A review of scientific approaches to defining the concept of "territorial community" by foreign and Ukrainian researchers through the local government prism, which is relevant at the present stage of socio-economic growth, was conducted. Theoretical aspects of this phenomenon essence in the process of theory and approach development by highlighting the community characteristics are pointed out. A systematic analysis of theoretical discussions of classification features and scientific approaches is conducted. The peculiarities of the concept of "territorial community" as a political, social and economic phenomenon of local self-government are investigated. Based on various foreign and domestic researches on this question, the own conceptual approach on definite characteristic criteria is formed.

The Evaluation of Regional Head Election: Developing Synergy of Regional Autonomy and Regional Head Election

The reform aims to achieve democracy, prosperity, and justice at the local level. Even though the reform process has been rolling for more than two decades, the goal of reform in realizing local democracy through an ideal regional head election is still far from expectations. This study aims to analyze the causes of the absence of synergy between regional autonomy and regional elections and identify the causes. A qualitative approach is used in the literature review method. The result showed that the root of the problem is not creating a synergy between regional autonomy and regional head elections because the application of the decentralization concept in Indonesia is dominated by the administrative decentralization perspective and the lack of actualizing the political perspective decentralization. The definitions of decentralization and regional autonomy in Acts tend to preserve centralization. Besides, regional autonomy's main objective places more emphasis on the administrative objectives of government and regional development rather than the development of local democracy. The lack of synergy between regional autonomy and regional elections is the gap between expectations and reality and conflicts at the ideological and technical levels. The gap between expectations and reality can be seen from the hope of realizing the acceleration of the democratization process at the local level, but technically, regional autonomy is characterized by an oligarchy of political parties and transactional politics. There are some suggestions for the Ministry of Home Affairs to revise the policy packages for decentralization and regional autonomy, especially in articles regulating the definition and objectives of regional autonomy, as well as revising Acts of Regional Head Election and Acts of Political Parties, particularly regarding the mechanism for nominating regional heads.

How do mayors get elected? The causal effects of pre-electoral coalitions on mayoral election outcomes in Indonesia

ABSTRACTWhat determines the election of mayors? The extent to which pre-electoral coalitions (PECs) influence mayoral election outcomes has not yet been subject to empirical analysis, despite the question’s fundamental theoretical and practical relevance. This note uses regression discontinuity methods to identify the causal effects of PECs on mayoral election results in Indonesia. The study finds that candidates backed by PECs comprising political parties that control council seat shares exceeding first-round mayoral electoral vote thresholds are 14–18 percentage points more likely to win those elections than their counterparts supported by smaller-sized PECs. The analysis determines that PECs are especially helpful in getting non-incumbent candidates elected, although they have no apparent impact on incumbents’ electoral success. PECs can assist candidates in gaining office, therefore, but they are established under corrupt conditions. Ultimately, governance issues surrounding the formation and functioning of PECs impose significant constraints on the development of local democracy in Indonesia.

CONCURRENT REGIONAL ELECTIONS PHENOMENON AS A POLITICAL RECRUITMENT IN INDONESIA

Concurrent regional election is a phenomenon in local democracy development in Indonesia. Many Efforts are performed to political recruitment. Yet, the implementation among expectations, aspirations and reality are frequently impaired proven by many problems in the implementation of the local democracy itself. The research applied normative juridical approach by identifying the problem in for complete background of the implementation of concurrent regional elections in Indonesia, its problems and solution. This research is expected to generate specific alternative insight through formulation of policy. It is expected to be a solution of any concurrent regional elections problems, a permanent rather than ad-hoc concept for the regional election, and a formulation of general regulation (lex generalis) on election which summarizes the present election regulation (lex specialist). These changes are internalized in continuing learning concept that can create academics, practitioners and technocrats on election. Keywords: democracy, local democracy, political positions, regional election and political recruitment.

Demokrasi di Malang: Menggali Kontribusi Masyarakat Sipil Dalam Pengembangan Demokrasi Lokal

Nearly two decades after the government reform needs to be seen again at how the role of civil society in the development of democracy, specially local democracy. This study focuses on the contribution of civil society in the development of democracy in Malang. The purpose of this study is to seek civil society contribution in the development of local democracy. Conception of civil society that is used is the civil society version of Alexis de Tocqueville, that is civil society as a voluntary association. The research method used is a qualitative method. The results obtained from this study is the civil society in Malang grouped into six major issues, that are street children, health, development and governance, women, labor, and education issues. The contribution of civil society in a democracy in Malang is firstly, they provide the basis of state power divider. Second, civil society complements the role of political parties in encouraging participation, increase the effectiveness and democratic skills and encourage understanding of citizenship. Third, building a channel outside the political parties to articulate, accommodating and representing the interests of women, workers, and marginal groups such as LGBT and street children.

Development of Local Democracy in Developing Country: Focused on The People's Campaign for Decentralized Planning in India's Kerala State

Development of Local Democracy in Developing Country: Focused on The People's Campaign for Decentralized Planning in India's Kerala State

Book review: “Local Government: A Politological Study”, ed. Joanna Marszałek–Kawa, Wydawnictwo Duet, Toruń 2007, pp. 262

The history of local government on Polish territories is not shorter or less fascinating than in other European countries. However, political obstacles, military conflicts, changes in the statehood system or finally its loss caused that what wherever else is the basis for further development of local democracy in Poland has to be built from the start. I mean here of course the long-lasting tradition of independent shaping and strengthening patterns, views and visions of local & regional self-governance, of which chance to fully develop Poland had not have. €The socio-political reality of today’s 3rd Republic is a dynamically evolving country, which due to the rapidness of that change demands strong support from its finest researchers and scientists.€ The goal set for them is to present a wide range of concepts that will allow to program the future direction of progress. €This way the necessary fundaments for Polish democracy at the regional and local level, and a tradition of discussion and sustainable development is born. In my opinion a good attempt to take part of the mentioned responsibility was the book edited by PhD Joanna Marszałek-Kawa from Univeristy of Nicolaus Copernicus in Torun, Poland.

Участь молоді у розвитку місцевої демократії в Україні: проблеми та перспективи

Участь молоді у розвитку місцевої демократії в Україні: проблеми та перспективи

L'expérience d'Issy-les-Moulineaux

Issy-les-Moulineaux, a suburban city on the outskirts of Paris, is an example of municipal determination in matters of new technologies. Mayor of the city since 1980, Andre Santini describes the various aspects of a technological policy aiming to serve the interests of users’comfort and the development of local democracy. Descriptions of several pilot projects show the advantages of progress which may be only technical, but make it possible to foresee radically renewed local governance concerned with freeing from weighty administrative procedures to better serve citizens.

Between Fragmentation and Coordination

The article describes recent development in the Swedish local government system. This is made through four different ‘organizing perspectives’. Three organizing perspectives challenge the model of local popular government. The functional challenge focuses on the market orientation, which means that nearly all sorts of public activities should be put on the market according ti the belief that competition is the most important motor of public economy. The communitarian challenge focuses on the social and political order of user and citizen organizations in relation to the municipal organization, which can be viewed in terms of the relation between small-scale democracy and the large-scale democracy. Finally, the idea of governance structures focuses on how to mobilize and integrate different types of resources across borders within the public sector and between public and private institutions. By using the different organizing perspectives it is shown that the development of local politics and democracy is driven by different ideas. Experiences from reforms, which are related to these ideas, are presented. The article concludes by pointing out some important challenges for future development of local democracy in Sweden.

Local and Regional Council Elections in 1991: Features and Political Implications

South Korean voters cast ballots on 26 March 1991 to elect 4,304 representatives to local councils at the city, county, and urban-ward level. They voted again on 20 June to elect 866 representatives to regional councils at the metropolitan and provincial level. These local and regional elections, the first in 30 years, herald the revival of a system of autonomous self-government and mark an important milestone on the road to democracy in South Korea. This study examines the voting behavior and election results in order to gain a better picture of the electoral culture and concludes with a few recommendations for the future development of local democracy in South Korea.

Tenants' involvement in the management of social housing in the Nordic countries

This paper deals with tenants' involvement in the management of social housing in the four Nordic countries, Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. The paper addresses issues such as the development of local democracy in housing areas, tenants' participation in the management and maintenance of housing areas, and the consequences of this for social life in the neighbourhood. The main point of departure is the organizational structure in housing management and the formal and real decision‐making power this allows for the tenants. Contours of the housing management and tenants' democracy in the future are already recognizable in the Nordic debate. The concluding remarks contain a short discussion of future trends, such as integration of housing, work and care, the expansion of the informal economy and the coming of information society.