Local Democracy Research Articles

Implementasi Pemberhentian Kepala Daerah Di Provinsi Jawa Barat Antara Tahun 2014-2021 Dalam Sistem Pemerintahan Daerah

Direct election of regional heads allows prospective regional heads to compete directly to become regional heads in local government. The regional government has implemented local democracy if the regional government has held regional head elections. Regional heads can stop or be dismissed according to the provisions of the laws and regulations concerning the Regional Government. Dismissal of regional heads between 2014-2021 in West Java Province, including in the areas of Karawang Regency, Bogor Regency, Sumedang Regency, Cimahi City, Bekasi Regency, Cianjur Regency, Subang Regency, West Bandung Regency, Cirebon Regency and Indramayu Regency which were caused because these regional heads were proven in court to have committed criminal acts of corruption, and some have even been, and are currently carrying out sentences. This study aims to find out the implementation of the dismissal of regional heads in the province of West Java. West Java Province, during seven years, there have been eleven dismissals. Dismissal of regional heads between 2014-2021 in West Java Province in the local government system in Indonesia is still guided by applicable laws and regulations; the dismissal or impeachment of regional heads who are entangled in corruption crimes, then the regional head is temporarily dismissed without having to go through a proposal from DPRD if charged with committing a crime of corruption. The dismissal of the regional head is carried out by the Minister for the regent or mayor; if the regional head is proven to have committed a crime of corruption which, based on a court decision, has permanent legal force, then the regional head can be dismissed without having to obtain a proposal from the DPRD. The Minister for regents and mayors then carried out the dismissal. The dismissal of the regional head who violates the oath/pledge of office should be accelerated in the process of dismissing the decision, and a state institution should be formed in the region that explicitly handles the process of dismissing the regional head so that it does not take too long, and reflects more direct democracy than procedural democracy

Direct Election, Bureaucratic Appointment and Local Government Responsiveness in Taiwan

AbstractDoes local democracy induce better service to citizens? While elected officials can be punished at the ballot box if they fail to address citizens’ needs, appointed bureaucrats may have policy knowledge that enables them to better serve citizens. Employing a multimethod design, this paper uses variation in local political institutions in Taiwan to assess the relative merits of direct election and bureaucratic appointment for local government responsiveness. While democratic institutions are often thought to induce responsiveness, I find that in Taiwan, with its historically strong bureaucracy and relatively new democratic institutions, the picture is somewhat more complicated. Elected and appointed officials face different incentives that motivate the latter to respond more quickly and effectively to online requests for help.

John Stewart: A personal appreciation

John Stewart: A personal appreciation

Determinants of sustainability of participatory budgeting: Slovak perspective

PurposeThe purpose of this research is to identify and test selected economic and organisational factors influencing the sustainability of participatory budgeting (PB) in Slovakia.Design/methodology/approachThe data were collected from websites and publicly available documents from all local governments with urban municipality status in Slovakia, for a total of 155 municipalities, 59 of which have established a participatory budget. The main method applied was correlation analysis.FindingsThe findings indicate: (1) a weak inverse correlation between debt level and the continuous existence of PB in municipalities; (2) a moderate direct correlation between the duration of PB in a municipality and integration of PB in its programme budgeting; (3) a moderate direct correlation between the duration of PB in a municipality and the political experience of the mayor.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings are derived from a quantitative analysis of cases localised in a single country, and therefore interpretation requires an awareness of the context of local democracy in Slovakia. In this regard, any generalisation beyond the context under study needs to be considered with caution.Originality/valueThis research fills a gap in the role of PB in the context of sustainability, especially in the context of a post-communist country like Slovakia. It applies a quantitative approach to the analysis of PB, which is relatively rare in this field of study (qualitative case studies are predominant in PB research).

Lokalna demokratija i oblici direktnog učešća građana u vlasti - primer Srbija

The subject of this paper is the institutions of direct democracy at the local level in Serbia, with the aim of analyzing valid solutions (de lege lata) and improving the legal framework (de lege ferenda). The author starts from the thesis that local democracy is an ambiguous and imprecise term. In a broader sense, it represents the right of citizens to participate in government at the local level. In a narrower sense, this term is used as a synonym for local self-government (decentralization) and direct participation of citizens in government. On the other hand, tradition, socio-economic assumptions, legal (normative) framework and political environment are factors that influence local democracy. Apart from the election of local government representatives (representative local democracy), the basic institutional channels of local democracy are forms of direct citizen participation of citizens in decision-making, such as referendum and people's initiative. The application of institutions of direct democracy can be one of the indicators of the level of development of local self-government and local democracy. In the Republic of Serbia, institutional mechanisms for direct citizen participation in local self-government have been created, such as referendums, citizens' initiatives, and assembly of citizens (zbor). In addition, citizens have the right to petition and publicly criticize the authorities, the right to be heard on the authorities' intentions and the right to be informed about and monitor the work of the authorities. The local referendum is enshrined in the Constitution and other institutions are regulated by legal provisions. The quality of these regulations improved after the adoption of the new Law on Referendums and People's Initiative (2021). However, in local self-government units, the scope of these institutions of direct democracy is very limited low. The practice of direct local democracy is very poor, although there is a long tradition of struggle for local self-government in the 19th century. Such a situation is a consequence of the party state that multiplies the centralized way of decision-making, which is manifested in limited participation of citizens in political processes, increasing distrust in political institutions and ineffective control of the authorities in local self-government units. The crisis of democracy also manifests itself in the fact that citizens are less and less interested in public policy. Based on empirical data, comparative experiences and legal standards, the author believes that the solution lies in reviving the application of direct democracy at the local level.

Kriza lokalnog liderstva - prolazni trend ili sistemski problem?

In this paper, the author will examine the influence of the electoral system at the local level and the party system with a hegemonic or (pre)dominant party on the development of local political leadership. The main point is that Serbia is going through a crisis in the development of local leadership (and local democracy) as a consequence of centralization of political decisions and merging local elections with national ones, as well as a PR electoral system with one electoral unit. This kind of electoral system, according to its inherent characteristics, produces a lack of communication between the elected representatives and the electorate, thereby losing an important step necessary in building leadership. The author analyses how the combination of high centralization in decision-making process and weak internal democracy within political parties and the electoral system in the long term encourages the negative selection of political elites at the local level. A logic incentive for local leaders and local democratic processes is to increase their political rating by communicating with voters. In practice, the reverse process takes place at the local level: politicians understand that their rating depends less on electorate and more on intra-party practices, and in Serbia, they are overwhelmingly of an undemocratic nature. The author will analyse the party leadership of the relevant political parties/organizations in Serbia, internal party elections and the mobility of local leaders in the party hierarchy. Through secondary sources and document analysis, the derogation of local leadership and democracy and their exchange (trade off) for the stability of political processes at the national level are analysed. Also, 15 case studies of successful local leaders after 2004 and the outcomes of their political careers are discussed.

РОЛЬ І ЗНАЧЕННЯ ІНСТИТУТУ СТАРОСТИ В СИСТЕМІ МІСЦЕВОГО САМОВРЯДУВАННЯ В УКРАЇНІ

The article is devoted to an important and topical topic – the study of the role and significance of the institution of the eldership in the system of local self-government bodies. The article emphasizes the fact that local representative democracy contributes to the development of public self-government. Citizens can actively participate in decision-making, make proposals and initiate projects that affect their environment. This contributes to the strengthening of public organizations, the development of local initiatives and the involvement of various social groups in local governance processes. The Institute of Elders promotes stability and social harmony at the local level. The headman plays the role of a mediator and contributes to the resolution of conflict situations, intergroup and interpersonal problems in the community. They contribute to the maintenance of social interaction, the settlement of conflicts, and contribute to the strengthening of trust between citizens. The Institute of Elders, as an institution of local self-government, exists in many countries of the world. Although the name and functions may vary from country to country, the general idea is that the headman is an elected official who represents and acts in the interests of his local community. The mayor promotes the mobilization and unification of the community around common goals and projects. They involve residents to participate in community development, organization of events and cooperation with other organizations and institutions. The Starost Institute, like any institute, has its positive and negative features. It is important to balance the positive and negative aspects of the institution of elders to ensure its effectiveness and compliance with the needs of the community. It has been established that the role and significance of the elder for the local community in Ukraine is important and multifaceted. The role and significance of the elder for the local community in Ukraine is important and multifaceted. Here are some aspects of their role: Representation of the community: The mayor acts as a representative of the community before local self-government bodies, state bodies and other structures. They express the interests, opinions and needs of the community and help solve their problems. Mobilization and cooperation: The mayor promote the mobilization and unification of the community around common goals and projects. They involve residents to participate in community development, organization of events and cooperation with other organizations and institutions. Development of initiatives and self-sufficiency: The mayor promotes the development of citizens’ initiatives, the search for resources and opportunities for the development of the community. They contribute to the creation of conditions for community self-sufficiency and active participation of citizens in decision-making. Maintaining order and resolving conflicts: The mayor is responsible for maintaining public order, resolving conflicts, and promoting harmonious relations in the community. They can help resolve disputes and promote dialogue between citizens. Implementation of projects and programs: The mayor helps to implement projects and programs aimed at the development and improvement of community life. They coordinate the work of the involved resources, monitor the performance. Key words: local representative democracy, local self-government bodies, headman, community representation, corruption.

МУНІЦИПАЛЬНА РЕФОРМА В УМОВАХ ВОЄННОГО СТАНУ УКРАЇНИ: ЗАКОНОДАВЧЕ РЕГУЛЮВАННЯ ТА ПРОБЛЕМИ РЕАЛІЗАЦІЇ

The article examines theoretical and legal approaches to identifying problematic aspects of legislative regulation and the practice of implementing municipal reform in Ukraine under martial law. Attention is drawn to the fact that even in the conditions of martial law, the further need for reforming local self-government is determined as an integral prerequisite and factor for the implementation of the strategic course of the state - integration into the European Union. Attention is drawn to the fact that municipal reform is a process that includes a certain set of organizational and legal measures that lead to significant changes in the system of local self-government, determined by social needs and the principles of the formation of effective local self-government according to European standards (decentralization and subsidiarity), aimed at satisfying the interests of the citizens of the respective territory in all spheres of life and coordinating the interests of the state and territorial communities. The problems of legislative regulation and the practice of implementation of municipal reform are analyzed and it is emphasized that in today's difficult conditions it is critically important to continue legislative activities to improve the development of local self-government institutions, primarily related to European integration procedures and the complex of post-war state reconstruction. It was established that the first direction is obviously the territorial concept, which, in turn, requires clear definition and specification regarding the procedure, grounds, criteria for the post-war formation of territorial communities and the legislative definition of their administrative centers. The second direction is directly related to the scope of competence of local self-government bodies, executive authorities and their officials, because a number of unresolved problems remain relevant today. The third direction is aimed, first of all, at increasing the amount of financial capabilities of local self-government bodies, necessary for the implementation of their legally defined powers. Issues of administration and providing access to local taxes and fees are characterized by considerable importance, in particular, the revision of the issue of personal income tax. The need for the adoption of bills that will regulate issues related to communal property, legal responsibility of local self-government bodies, mechanisms for involving and stimulating the public in decision-making, improvement and further development of various forms of people's power, local democracy, formation of competitive principles of service in local self-government bodies, etc., remains relevant. An extremely positive state achievement is the fact of continuation and categorical refusal to suspend the further implementation of the decentralization reform in the martial law regime. It should be noted that, although the current situation is characterized by a decrease and a slowdown in the adoption of decentralization bills, such changes are temporary, because they are mostly caused by a shift in legislative focus and priorities towards solving the problems of martial law. Keywords: reform, municipal reform, European integration, local self-government, decentralization.

The Barriers of Co-Creative Service Development Models in the Context of Disadvantaged Rural Areas in Hungary

The paper is based on the observation of the process of reviving the forgotten culture of household economy, horticulture and livestock farming in disadvantaged rural areas and, through this, to develop a new service model for rural communities to strengthen the role of grassroots initiatives and enhancing the mechanisms of the co-operative model of local economy and democracy. Our research has shown that bottom-up models have several barriers to local governments in rural areas. The change in the political and governmental model of the last ten years has resulted in the restraint of local government autonomy and the vacancy of the role of local governments as public service providers. In this system, we can observe the strengthening of administrative dependence, the devaluation of the local elected political leadership (mayors) and the emergence of new rules of local power. In small settlements with less than 2,000 inhabitants, central state and political dependence intensified. Attempts to strengthen local communities have proved to be a major challenge in a highly centralised model of government. The present study gathers the factors that hinder the success of co-creative approaches in the local context and shows how the public service innovations organised by local governments are determined by the political and economic culture prevailing at the national level.

The Svalbard treaty and identity of place: Impacts and implications for Longyearbyen, Svalbard

Abstract The Svalbard Treaty established Norway’s full and absolute sovereignty over the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard. At the same time, it also established special territorial status for the archipelago, providing nationals of all signatory nations equal access to its resources. During fieldwork in Longyearbyen, conducted as part of a bottom-up exploration of place in 2018, several recurring issues came up in the analysis of interviews with residents using grounded theory methodology. Two of these issues, sometimes linked and sometimes seen as separate, were a questioning of the legitimacy of the community and a sense of geopolitical vulnerability. These emerging categories led to a series of focus groups, conducted between December 2018 and November 2019, that was designed to explore the impacts and implications of the Svalbard Treaty through the articulation of residents’ lived experiences in Longyearbyen. This paper examines the findings that emerged within an Identity of Place framing that point to an inherent conflict between the Svalbard Treaty’s special territorial status and the possibility of establishing a fully functioning local democracy in Longyearbyen.

Constitutional and doctrine principles local democracy

Constitutional and doctrine principles local democracy

ASSESSING THE ROLE OF PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN SERVICE DELIVERY: THE CASE OF EKURHULENI METROPOLITAN MUNICIPALITY

Local governments play an important role in the development of the livelihoods of local communities in South Africa. Local governments are responsible for the provision and delivery of basic services such as running water, proper sanitation, clean energy, waste removal, and decent housing. Public participation (PP) is arguably an essential element of local democracy through which local communities can contribute to improved service delivery. The current study focused on assessing the role of PP in service delivery in the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality. This was done by adopting a descriptive research design. Data on the factors affecting PP were collected from four different community groups (i.e., citizens, businesses, municipal managers, and ward committee members), using questionnaires and interviews. The results showed that information about PP is obtained via radio, television, newspapers, and mobile phones. Generally the initiatives relating to the ‘Batho Pele’ principles are acceptable in the Ekurhuleni community. Furthermore, concerning the quality of the services delivered by the municipality, the findings established that citizens agree that the municipality is aware of the service quality offered in the EMM. Although some citizens agree with the quality of the service delivery, some of them believe that the process still lacks consistency. Keywords: Public Participation, service delivery, municipality, community

Something Beautiful and Powerful: Politics, Art, and Bread and Puppet Theater

Something Beautiful and Powerful: Politics, Art, and Bread and Puppet Theater

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.

Ustavni i zakonski položaj Beograda kao prepreka za ostvarivanje lokalne demokratije

During the last few decades, the reluctance to take significant steps in the reform of territorial organization and local self-government system in Serbia had an adverse effect on both small and underdeveloped, as well as large and economically more developed municipalities and towns. In this paper, the author's intention is to show that the constitutional and legal position of the City of Belgrade, within the framework of a single-level and uniform system of local self-government, among other issues, prevents the implementation of various mechanisms of local democracy, as regulated by Serbian laws. Trapped in such a system, Belgrade and its authorities remain completely distant from citizens. The inadequacy of formal mechanisms of local democracy which are incorporated into the legal solutions on the system of local self-government is primarily shown here on the example of the organization of city municipalities, which during the last twenty years have been completely devoid of self-governing characteristics, as well as the specific form of optionality in the establishment of local community units (mesne zajednice) at the level of Belgrade, as the country's capital. Solutions could be sought in comprehensive reforms to territorial organization and the system of local self-government, which, apparently, would require changes to the Constitution, and which would enable the capital city to (at least) have the position of the second tier of local self-government. Belgrade's aptness to be more than a first-level unit of local self-government can be confirmed by a simple analysis of tasks delegated to the City in certain areas of competence, in which it already has the position of a second-tier administrative authority (e.g. urban planning and construction, legalization of immovable property or citizens registers).

Effect of Dynamic Politics on The Sustainability of Local Democracy Legal Politics

This study aims to provide information regarding the influence of dynastic politics on democracy. This research strategy is a normative research strategy. Literature reviews, books, journals, papers, and relevant laws and regulations were utilized to collect data for this study. In a democratic nation, particularly Indonesia, dynastic politics have been prevalent for a long time and are a legacy of the New Order administration. In certain regions of Indonesia, dynasty politics have risen rapidly. It is believed that the practice of dynasty politics impedes the mobility of the people to participate in the phases of the General Election for Regional Heads. In addition, dynastic politics has the potential to corrupt monarchs or incumbents by bolstering the political authority and interests of their families and relatives. This is due to the lack of influence the community has on the electoral process. Observing the evolution of dynastic political practices, this is unquestionably a crucial highlight for every community. Consequently, the concept of checks and balances between the government and society is deemed essential for ensuring the continuation of the battle for leadership transitions.

The Determinant Factors in the Policy Formulation Process for the Regional Revenue and Expenditure Budget

The new paradigm for implementing regional autonomy in Indonesia is basically based on the principles of local democracy and good governance. With this basis, the regional government and the Regional People's Representative Council as local institutions are responsible for the implementation of regional autonomy as a manifestation of local community representation. The shift of power from the center to the regions and the empowerment of the Regional People's Legislative Assembly has formed its own dynamics in the interaction relations of the two institutions so that it is often colored by conflicts that have political compromises in the process of formulating and discussing the General Policy on Budgets-Priorities of Budget Ceilings and Draft Regional Revenue and Expenditure Budgets. . Therefore the formulation of the problem in this study is: What are the determinant factors in the policy formulation process for the 2019 Regional Budget for Fiscal Year in Sidenreng Rappang Regency?. This study aims to: Know the determinant factors in the policy formulation process of the Regional Revenue and Expenditure Budget for the 2019 Fiscal Year in Sidenreng Rappang Regency. This study used a qualitative approach with data collection techniques through in-depth interviews and documentation studies. The results of the study show that the determinant factors in the policy formulation process for the Regional Revenue and Expenditure Budget for the 2019 Fiscal Year are: (a) Political factors, (b) the interest of policy-making actors, (c) Capacity factors of policy-making actors, (d) Organizational experience factors of formulating actors and (e) Bargaining of policy formulating actors.

"Municipal person": parametric features, concepts, role and significance in the formation and functioning of local democracy and democratic legal statehood

"Municipal person": parametric features, concepts, role and significance in the formation and functioning of local democracy and democratic legal statehood

Polish local democracy in crisis? Non-competitive elections and the supply of candidates for councillors

Competitive elections are the basis of democracy; without them there is no freedom of choice. Elections without competition are associated with the façade nature of elections in undemocratic systems. There are, however, exceptions to the belief that in a democratic system every election must be competitive. We can also observe them in Poland, particularly in small communes with up to 20,000 inhabitants. They take two forms: non-competitive elections of commune leaders and councillors. The latter case is known in the literature under the legal term of filling seats without voting. In 2018, as many as 8% of Polish councillors obtained their mandate without votes. In 2018 compared to 2014, the number of such cases increased by 77% and compared to 2010, the increase was nearly 300%. In extreme cases, local elections become a ritual with a known result, and the voter loses the ability to influence their representatives. At the same time, from 2002 to 2018, the number of candidates for municipal councils fell by 38%. Both phenomena may be a signal of problems that harm Polish local democracy. The article analyses them through the prism of the mechanisms for selecting candidates for councillors.

The contribution of reform coalitions to inclusion and equity: lessons from urban social movements

ABSTRACT Coalitional politics is being used by multiple urban social movements – and agencies that support their work – to address the scale and nature of disadvantage in towns and cities of the Global South. To advance our understanding about how coalitions might form and function effectively, this paper introduces and analyses four diverse exemplars that illustrate the approaches used. We find that coalitions have the potential to improve the relational capital of disadvantaged residents, increasing the legitimacy of their claims, advancing their interests and leading to pro-poor reforms. Coalitions enhance existing political opportunities and potentially improve the political opportunity structure. However, context matters, particularly the nature and extent of local democracy, and coalitions must operate in a space that is circumscribed and contested.