Can amalgamations deliver? Barriers to local government mergers from an historical institutionalist perspective

IMPACT

The paper provides decision-makers with important guidance on how to realistically assess the benefits of municipal mergers.

ABSTRACT

Municipal amalgamations raise high expectations, but often do not deliver as expected. This paper analyses how pre-existing institutional and service delivery arrangements influence the expected outcomes of amalgamations in terms of cost reductions and service delivery enhancement. In the light of an historical institutionalist background, the authors analyse five cases of voluntary mergers in Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy, between 2014 and 2017. The findings contribute to research on local government consolidation and to the analysis of reform implementation and policy change where intent, process and uncertainty play a crucial role.

KEYWORDS:

• Amalgamations
• cost reduction
• historical institutionalism
• local government
• municipalities
• service enhancement

Acknowledgements

The paper is the outcome of joint work by all the authors. However, in the final version, Andrea Garlatti wrote the section ‘Analysis and discussion’ and ‘Conclusions’. Paolo Fedele wrote the ‘Introduction’ and the sections ‘Literature review’, ‘Analytical framework and methodological choices’; Silvia Iacuzzi wrote the sections ‘Pre-existing institutional and administrative arrangements in FVG’ and ‘Case studies’.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).