Article

 

Successive local government institutional reforms in Greece: From regionalization to regionalism? (p.99-131)

by

Panos Ioannidis, Department of Economics, Democritus University

Keywords : Regionalism, Regionalization, Local Government, Institutional Reforms, Kallikrates

JEL classification : R50, H77, R58

Abstract

The system of local government in Greece incurred significant alterations in the last years. Kapodistrias and Kallikrates reforms generated new conditions for regional policy. The aim of this paper is to study the course of local government reforms in Greece in terms of regionalization and regionalism. It is argued that the successive implementation of Kapodistrias and Kallikrates reform are crucial steps from regionalization to regionalism. Methodology is based on a primary research that took place in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace (NUTS II). A closed type questionnaire was distributed in local actors. Results demonstrate that operation of local/regional governments and intraregional cooperation improved significantly by the reforms. Non institutional partners assessed more substantially the provisions of Kapodistrias and Kallikrates reform than institutional partners did. A more interactive framework is required in order local actors of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace to advance the process from regionalization to regionalism.