Mandatory shared administration for small municipalities: a case of symbolic policy?

Abstract

The contribution analyses "The bond of associated management for small municipalities: symbolic policy case?", with attention to the context, the reading tools and the implications for policies. Always in the opinion of those who write, it would show in fact clear signs of “return to the past”, synthesized both in the possibility for municipalities under the thousand inhabitants of being able to predict the figure of the Councillor, and in the loosening of the obligations of structured associate gestures. First of all, the union of municipalities, that is the associative form that in our order presents the maximum degree of institutionalization (Fedele and Moini 2006), has passed from being understood as an instrument almost obligatory to a privileged, albeit not exclusive. Secondly, the national legislator has chosen to leave the regions wide discretionary margins for the future verification of the efficiency and effectiveness of the associated management, as well as the full transfer of functions to the new body. To conclude, it is information that suggests that this policy is taking the traits of a “symbolic” policy, i.e. intended not to be fully implemented (in the specific sense attributed to the term by Gustafsson, 1983, p. 271).

Keywords

Local authorities; urban economy; governance; social economy; Italy; Italian regions

JEL codes

H72; H76; H77