Local democracy Archives – Decentralization Net

Webinar: European Observatory for the Defence of Democracy at the Local Level

May 20, 2026 Jacqueline Muthura

The European Observatory for the Defence of Democracy at the Local Level (ODELL) was officially launched in December 2025 as a joint initiative of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR), the Municipality of […]

Reimagining democracy from the ground up

February 17, 2026 Limabenla Jamir

In their newly-published open access volume, Citizen Participation in Local Governance: An Urban–Rural Perspective (Springer, 2026), Karl Kössler and Eva Schläppi bring together insights from 18 partner institutions across six continents to examine one of […]

Do local gender quotas improve the electability of women at higher tiers?

September 23, 2025 LPS Alliance

One of the central promises of decentralization is that it can create political space for those historically excluded from power. In theory, local governance is the arena where marginalized voices—whether of caste, ethnicity, or gender—can […]

Global democracy trumped? 25 years of autocratization

May 22, 2025 Jamie Boex

Decentralization can be thought of as reforms that seek to achieve the empowerment of people through the empowerment of local governments. This presumes, however, that governments—at all levels—adhere to a degree of representative democracy (as […]

Does the amalgamation of local governments really improve service delivery, fiscal capacity and citizen choice?

March 25, 2025 Marina Jandrevska

The amalgamation of local governments has been touted as one of the main methods to improve service delivery and increase fiscal capacity. While there have been a number of research papers looking at the experience […]

LPSA Asia Working Group – Knowledge Sharing Meeting – September 2025

February 27, 2025 Limabenla Jamir

LPSA’s Expert Working Group (EWG) on Asia aims to bring together government officials, policy practitioners, scholars, civil society organizations, and citizens who share an interest and expertise on decentralization, multilevel governance, intergovernmental relations, local governance […]

LPSA Thematic Working Group on Local Democracy & Inclusive Governance – Open Meeting – February 2025

February 20, 2025 Limabenla Jamir

The discussion, hosted by LPSA’s Thematic Working Group on Local Democracy, Inclusive Governance, and Community-led Development, explored the rising threats faced by local elected officials, particularly intimidation, violence, and organized crime. Featuring insights from Jess […]

LPSA Thematic Working Group on Local Democracy & Inclusive Governance – Open Meeting – August 2025

September 29, 2024 Limabenla Jamir

LPSA’s Thematic Working Group on Local Democracy, Inclusive Governance and Community-led Development aims to bring together government officials, policy practitioners, scholars, civil society organizations, and citizens who share an interest and expertise on local democracy, […]

LPSA Thematic Working Group on Local Democracy & Inclusive Governance – Open Meeting – February 2025

September 17, 2024 Limabenla Jamir

Around the world, local democracy faces increasing challenges, from rising political polarization to acts of violence and intimidation against local leaders. These threaten not only their safety but also the democratic values and systems they […]

Local government institutions under authoritarian rule in Bangladesh

March 25, 2024 Limabenla Jamir

Delving into the intricate layers of autocratization in South Asia, Local Government Institutions under Authoritarian Rule in Bangladesh by Serdar Yilmaz and Syed Khaled Ahsan reveals how in the shadow of authoritarianism the local government […]