Abstract
In this paper, the authors analyse the institutional aspects of local governance. After the local government reforms, two main currents of change were created among European countries, namely the (quasi-) parliamentarisation administration systems committees, and (quasi-) presidentialisation through the form of elected mayors. Through an overview of the changes in the Slovenian local self-government in the last two decades, the authors determine a gradual transition from parliamentarism (with a relatively strong legislative body, municipal council) to the strengthening of the individual executive body (mayor), e.g. presidentialisation. By using the calculated index of mayoral strength, the authors conclude that according to the mayoral institutional power, the Slovenian system of local self-government is closer to the countries with (post) Napoleonic administrative tradition than to the countries of Central and Eastern Europe.
References
Bäck, Henry (2005) “The Institutional Setting of Local Political Leadership and Community Involvement.” In: (Michael Haus, Hubert Heinelt and Murray Stewart. eds.) Urban Governance and Democracy. Leadership and Community Involvement. London: Routledge, pp. 65–101.10.4324/9780203340950_chapter_4Search in Google Scholar
Berg, Rikke and Nirmala Rao (2005) Transforming Political Leadership in Local Government. London: Palgrave Macmillan.10.1057/9780230501331Search in Google Scholar
Denters, Bas and Lawrence Rose (ed.) (2005) Comparing Local Governance: Trends and Developments. Basingstoke: Palgrave.10.1007/978-0-230-21242-8Search in Google Scholar
Goldsmith, Michael J. and Edward C. Page (2010) Changing Government Relations in Europe: From localism to Intergovernmentalism. New York: Routledge.10.4324/9780203858486Search in Google Scholar
Haček, Miro (2006) “The Relationship between Civil Servants and Politicians in a Post-Communist Country: A Case of Slovenia,” Public Administration, 84(1):165–184.10.1111/j.0033-3298.2006.00498.xSearch in Google Scholar
Haček, Miro (2012) “The Commitment of Senior Civil Servants to Democratic Freedoms and Equality.” Transylvanian Review of Administrative Sciences, 35(E):93–106.Search in Google Scholar
Haus, Michael and David Sweeting (2006) “Local Democracy and Political Leadership: Drawing a Map,” Political Studies, 54(2):267–288.10.1111/j.1467-9248.2006.00605.xSearch in Google Scholar
Heinelt, Hubert and Nikolaos K. Hlepas (2006) “Typologies of Local Government Systems.” In: (Henry Bäck, Hubert Heinelt and Annick Magnier, eds.) The European Mayor, Political Leaders in the Changing Context of Local Democracy. Wiesbaden: VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften, pp. 21–42.10.1007/978-3-531-90005-6_2Search in Google Scholar
John, Peter and Francesca Gains (2006) Leadership in Local Government: A Review of the Key Issues. Edinburgh: Scottish Executive.Search in Google Scholar
Kukovič, Simona (2014) Institutional Settings and Mayoral Strength: Index of Mayoral Strength (Results of the Study). Ljubljana: Faculty of Social Sciences.Search in Google Scholar
Kukovič, Simona and Miro Haček (2011) “Non-Partisan Candidates and Lists at Slovenian Local Elections 1994–2010.” World Political Science Review, 7(1).10.2202/1935-6226.1097Search in Google Scholar
Kukovič, Simona and Miro Haček (2013) “The Re-Election of Mayors in the Slovenian Local Self-Government,” Lex Localis, 11(2):87–99.10.4335/222Search in Google Scholar
Mouritzen, Poul Erik and James H. Svara (2002) Leadership at the Apex; Politicians and Administrators in Western Local Governments. Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press.Search in Google Scholar
Page, Edward C. (1991) Localism and Centralism in Europe. Oxford: Oxford University Press.10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198277279.001.0001Search in Google Scholar
Page, Edward C. and Michael J. Goldsmith (1987) Central and Local Government Relations: A Comparative Analysis of West European Unitary States. London: Sage.Search in Google Scholar
Pawlowska, Agnieszka and Katarzyna Radzik (2007) Institutional Models of Local Leadership-Comparative Analysis. Retrieved on May 29, 2014 from http://www.nispa.org/files/conferences/2007/papers/200704100858340.KievPaper.Pawlowska.Radzik.doc.Search in Google Scholar
Self, Peter (1972) Administrative Theories and Politics: An Inquiry into the Structure and Processes of Modern Government. London: George Allen & Unwin Ltd.Search in Google Scholar
The Act Amending the Local Self-Government Act (Zakon o spremembah in dopolnitvah Zakona o lokalni samoupravi). Official Gazette RS 14/1995. Retrieved November 1, 2014, from http://www.uradni-list.si/1/objava.jsp?urlid=199514&number=677.Search in Google Scholar
The Act Amending the Local Self-Government Act (Zakon o spremembah in dopolnitvah Zakona o lokalni samoupravi). Official Gazette RS 74/1998. Retrieved November 1, 2014, from http://www.pisrs.si/Pis.web/pregledPredpisa?id=ZAKO562#.Search in Google Scholar
The Law on Civil Servants (Zakon o javnih uslužbencih-UPB3). Official Gazette RS 63/2007. Retrieved May 29, 2014, from https://www.uradni-list.si/1/content?id=81343.Search in Google Scholar
The Local Elections Act (Zakon o lokalnih volitvah-UPB3). OG RS 94/2007. Retrieved May 29, 2014, from http://www.uradni-list.si/1/objava.jsp?urlurid=20074693.Search in Google Scholar
The Local Self-Government Act (Zakon o lokalni samoupravi). Official Gazette RS 72/1993. Retrieved May 29, 2014, from http://www.pisrs.si/Pis.web/pregledPredpisa?id=ZAKO307.Search in Google Scholar
The Local Self-Government Act (Zakon o lokalni samoupravi-UPB2). Official Gazette RS 94/2007. Retrieved May 29, 2014, from http://www.uradni-list.si/1/objava.jsp?urlid=200794&number=4692.Search in Google Scholar
Wollmann, Hellmut (2008) “Local Reforming Local Leadership and Local Democracy: The Cases of England, Sweden, Germany and France in Comparative Perspective,” Local Government Studies, 34(2):279–298.10.1080/03003930701852344Search in Google Scholar
Wollmann, Hellmut (2009) “The Ascent of the Directly Elected Mayor in European Local Government in West and East,” In: (Herwig Reynaert, Kristof Steyvers, Pascal Delwit and Jean-Benoit Pilet, eds.) Local Political Leadership in Europe: Town Chief, City Boss or Loco President? Brugge: Vanden Broele, pp. 115–149.Search in Google Scholar
Wollmann, Hellmut (2012) “Local Government Reforms in (Seven) European Countries: Between Convergent and Divergent, Conflicting and Complementary Developments,” Local Government Studies, 38(1):41–70.10.1080/03003930.2011.638710Search in Google Scholar
©2016 by De Gruyter