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CANS AN INITIAL OVERVIEW. CHARLIE JEFFERY University of Edinburgh. Regionalisation of Politics. How far do citizens understand/practice a regionalised politics? Instead of nationalisation? As well as (interdependent with; autonomous of nationalised politics)?
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CANSAN INITIAL OVERVIEW CHARLIE JEFFERY University of Edinburgh
Regionalisation of Politics • How far do citizens understand/practice a regionalised politics? • Instead of nationalisation? • As well as (interdependent with; autonomous of nationalised politics)? • Standard questionnaire → data on 3 regions Austria, France, Germany, Spain, 2 regions UK • Regions chosen for variation on identity, powers, economy • Robustness of indicators across regional/national contexts?
Variables • Dependent • How far is political participation understood/practiced at regional scales? • How far is social solidarity understood/practiced at regional scales? • Independent • Territorial identity (within CANS) • Powers of regional govt (Marks et al?) • Regional economic disparities (?)
Identity: Attachment to Region % ‘very’ attached to region/state
Participation: Measures • Relative importance of regional vs. statewide electoral process • Voting; decisions of regional vs. state parliaments • Standard political efficacy measures • (UK) which does/which should have most influence? • (Germany) which more in touch with everyday concerns?
Participation: Voting • How important to vote in regional/state elections
Participation: Efficacy % agree/agree strongly ‘regional/state govt doesn’t care about what people like me think’
Participation: Does/Should Which level of govt does/which should have most influence? Here: % regional govt should/does
Participation: ‘Concerned’ • % think regional/state govt is more concerned about ‘worries and needs’ of the people
Participation: In Sum • Clearly a multi-level political citizenship, both-and • Voting at state level generally more important (except Scotland, Catalonia) • Scotland and Catalonia keenest on regional-scale participation • CLM, Lower Saxony, Vienna least keen • ALL except CLM think regional govt should have ‘most influence’, more in touch, more influenceable • Weight of opinion clearly to the ‘more powers’ side of status quo • Endorsement of more ‘proximate’ govt • Not much obvious variation by identity, powers, disparities • Often clearly national patterns
Solidarity: Measures • Definition of ‘solidarity community’ – with whom do we most closely share interests, regional vs statewide community? • Openness to territorial policy variation – more open, then less concerned about statewide equity? • Measures of statewide/interregional solidarity
Solidarity Community • How close to people in region/state as a whole?
Solidarity: Policy Variation #1 Which level of govt should be responsible for the environment?
Solidarity: Policy Variation #1 • Which level of govt should be responsible for fighting unemployment?
Solidarity: Policy Variation #1 • Which level of govt should be responsible for education?
Solidarity: Policy Variation #2 • Uniformity vs. matter for region to decide • Unemployment benefits, student fees, old age care, juvenile offenders • Generally (large) majorities for uniformity • Catalonia the exception – except juvenile offenders majority for Catalan decision • Scotland>Wales>Galicia>Bavaria substantial minorities for regional decision • Austria uniform, very high preference for uniformity (Germany except Bavaria, France not far behind)
Solidarity: Disparities • Central govt to intervene to even out regional economic disparities? • All majority agree; here % disagree
Solidarity: Interregional • Rich regions transfer to poor to ensure uniformity • % disagree
Solidarity: In Sum • Scotland, Wales, Catalonia, Galicia (Bavaria): outliers on solidarity community, policy variation • But otherwise (and general) preference for state-level competence and uniform provision • Rich-poor differentiation on disparities and equalisation • But: general preference for measures to ensure equity • Social citizenship still, but significantly less multi-levelled
In Sum • General preference for more political participation at regional scale • General preference for social solidarity at statewide scale • But with some indications that identity differentiates solidarity community, as does relative economic performance • Main differentiation by state, national patterns • Some evidence that identity works cross-nationally to regionalise (public attitudes towards) politics (UK, Spain) • Preferences in contradiction! • Different scales of political action allow expression of different aspects of citizenship