Trends in Local Autonomy and Democracy: Reflections from a European Perspective

Abstract

The purpose of this chapter is to identify some current trends in local government in various European countries. To complete the picture, reference is also made to certain background conditions which exert a continuing influence on the functioning and status of local government. In so short a chapter, the treatment is bound to be selective in terms of both the aspects raised and their illustration by reference to experience in various European countries. Inevitably also, the discussion of each topic is superficial. But the aim is to raise a number of issues which may be of interest from a comparative perspective.