Emerging local authority networks within the framework of local administration reform in Hungary

Somlyódyné Pfeil, Edit

doi:0016-7282

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Title: Emerging local authority networks within the framework of local administration reform in Hungary

Abstract:

Hungary is struggling with its fragmented local governmental system. The so called “public service reform” aimed to offer equal access to all as regards local public services, as well as to encourage efficiency of activity at local administrative level. The government transferred to local actors the responsibility for the implementation of reform commissioned centrally. The organisational and geographical frameworks for the rationalisation of local public administration were in turn devised at micro-regional level. This paper mainly aims to analyse urban-rural connections, as co-operative networks of local authorities have already been created. The issue is the extent to which the horizontal cooperations created to organise public services can be effective if their vertical connections are very weak, and, further, if there is no mechanism to counterbalance regional differences.

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