The Italian “unioni di comuni”: A comparison among different management models of intermunicipal cooperation
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.13133/2037-3651/17740Keywords:
cooperation among municipalities, management modelsAbstract
Recently, there has been a significant development of intermunicipal cooperation in Italy. In 2016, about the 33.36% of 6,000 municipalities in the regions with ordinary statute carried out at least one fundamental function/service through the “unioni di comuni”. The regions with the highest percentage of municipalities cooperating in an “unione di comuni” are: Emilia-Romagna and Piedmont. This paper investigates whether the management models within the cooperation are the same or whether they are different in terms of structure and performance. At least two different models emerge from the study: a so-colled “Piemontese” model, in which unions are a phenomenon that almost exclusively involves small municipalities, and an “Emiliano-Romagnolo” model, in which unions are formed around a municipality medium-sized leader. This analysis aims to identify the characteristics that distinguish the two models and to understand the differences in terms of objectives pursued and performance.
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