Ivannikov, I.V., Pakhorukov, K.I. Decentralization in France: evolution of the French Unitarianism.

Abstract: The object of studies in this article is one of the most topical issues in the political arena of France – the reform of territorial collectives with the background of considerable changes in the system of government of the 5th Republic. The authors concentrate on the changes in the role of regions as key subjects of the system of local government, then on positive and negative aspects of the reform. Much attention is paid to the positions of key French political parties towards the reform. The authors come to a conclusion on questionable effi ciency of this reform, determining role of the processes of regionalization in Europe, dependency of the development of the reform on the political situation in France. It’s not a long time of waiting, since in spring 2012 there shall be presidential and parliamentary elections and we shall shortly see how successful is the policy of the French decentralized Unitarianism. If the ruling party keeps its rule, it would show that the process of decentralization shall continue, and the role of regional government and municipal bodies shall yet grow.

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