Horizontal Intergovernmental Coordination at Local and Regional Levels

A newly released volume, Horizontal Intergovernmental Coordination at Local and Regional Levels: Evidence from Europe and Beyond, addresses a critical yet underexplored dimension of multilevel governance: the mechanisms and conditions that enable horizontal coordination among subnational governments.

While vertical intergovernmental relations—between central and subnational authorities—have traditionally dominated the decentralization agenda, the increasing complexity of public service delivery and policy challenges has elevated the importance of horizontal collaboration. This volume provides a rigorous conceptual framework and empirical analysis of how local and regional governments coordinate laterally across jurisdictions, sectors, and national boundaries.

Drawing on comparative case studies from twenty European countries, the book examines the institutional, political, and administrative factors that facilitate or hinder horizontal coordination. It highlights the diversity of coordination arrangements, from formalized inter-municipal associations to ad hoc regional networks, and explores how these mechanisms contribute to policy coherence, resource pooling, and collective problem-solving.

Importantly, the volume does not merely catalogue coordination practices—it considers the underlying governance conditions that shape their effectiveness. For practitioners and scholars of decentralization, the findings offer actionable insights into fostering trust, designing incentives, and navigating the legal and fiscal constraints that often impede collaboration.

This volume advances the understanding of governance as a networked system rather than a hierarchical structure. It is an essential resource for those working to strengthen inter-municipal cooperation, regional development strategies, and the overall responsiveness of decentralized governance systems. Its open-access format further enhances its value as a shared reference for the global community of practice.

Read the book (open access) or download individual chapters below:

Nathalie Behnke and Bettina Petersohn. 2025. Horizontal Intergovernmental Coordination at Local and Regional Levels: Evidence from Europe and Beyond. Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-83567-4

Contents

1. Introduction: Horizontal Intergovernmental Coordination—A Conceptual Framework, Nathalie Behnke, Bettina Petersohn

2. Belgium: Challenges of Dual Federalism for Effective Governance, Daan Smeekens, Peter Bursens, Patricia Popelier

3. Bosnia and Herzegovina: Horizontal Coordination Still Under Construction, Maja Sahadžić, Bojan Vlaški

4. Estonia: Inter-municipal and Cross-border Cooperation Within a Decentralised Polity and EU Framework, Mariia Chebotareva, Diana Eerma

5.Georgia: Progresses in Horizontal Coordination Along the EU Accession Path, Eka Akobia

6. Manifestations of a Cooperative Federal Tradition: Horizontal Coordination in Germany, Nathalie Behnke

7. Greece: Significant But Insufficient Advancements in Horizontal Intergovernmental Cooperation, Minas Angelidis

8. Iceland: Voluntary Coordination Among Municipalities—The Role of Amalgamations and Local Government Associations, Magnús Árni Skjöld Magnússon

9. The Role and Challenges of Regional Clusters in Israel: Advancing Collaborative Governance Amidst Centralized Tensions, Anna Uster, Itai Beeri