Switzerland Archives – Decentralization Net

Intergovernmental fiscal transfers and fiscal equalization in a time of consolidation

July 25, 2025 LPS Alliance

During periods of fiscal consolidation, governments must balance tighter budgets with equitable service delivery. This balance is a particular challenge in devolved countries, where central fiscal authorities might be inclined prioritize macroeconomic balance and fiscal […]

How does intergovernmental coordination strengthen local governance?

December 4, 2024 Marina Jandrevska

The crux of decentralization is that a multilevel public sector can produce better (more responsive and efficient) outcomes compared to a centralized public sector. An underlying–often unstated– assumption is that intergovernmental coordination mechanisms are in […]

The Forum of Federations Handbook of Fiscal Federalism

August 20, 2023 Marina Jandrevska

Fiscal federalism is a critical area of study as it underpins almost all other facets of subnational governance. The overriding issue in fiscal federalism is referred to as the assignment problem, that is, the assignment […]

Climate Governance and Federalism

May 28, 2023 LPS Alliance

Climate change poses one of the greatest challenges of our time, demanding urgent action and global cooperation. As nations grapple with the complexities of climate governance, the role of federal systems becomes a topic of […]

Intergovernmental Transfers in Federations

November 2, 2020 LPS Alliance

In a multi-level government system, the assignment of roles and responsibilities and institutional legacies between the federal and the subnational governments often create imbalances. A common challenges is a primary vertical fiscal imbalance, which is […]

Institutions of Intergovernmental Fiscal Relations: Challenges Ahead

February 21, 2017 Jamie Boex

Intergovernmental fiscal institutions are the overarching framework for relations across government levels. They comprise the constitutional set up of a country; the division of power between government levels; the prevalence of fiscal rules across government […]