Intergovernmental Cooperation in a Decentralised System: the Sectoral Conferences in Spain

Abstract

[Abstract] One of the challenges of decentralised systems is ensuring intergovernmental cooperation. This paper attempts to shed some light on the conditions that bring about cooperation between central and sub-national governments. Drawing on extensive data based on the Spanish case, empirical findings show that factors that have a bearing on cooperation are associated with non-tangible assets of intergovernmental relations (such as informal contacts among representatives) or more general and long-term political dynamics. Public practitioners have little room to modify these conditions, which highlight the limitations of administrative reforms to promote intergovernmental relations.