Municipal Councillors in Europe, Volume II : Citizens and Government

As members of representative bodies at local levels of government, municipal councillors play a vital role in democratic decision-making most closely related to the daily lives of citizens.

As members of representative bodies at local levels of government, municipal councillors play a vital role in democratic decision-making most closely related to the daily lives of citizens. Interactions between councillors and citizens, between councillors themselves, and between councillors and their representative bodies, are therefore some of the most common features of contemporary democracy. The multiple forms these interactions take provide important insights into the different roles of local government, as well as their administrative, civic and political cultures. Bringing together an international network of leading experts, this book is one of two volumes that examines the roles of municipal councillors in twenty-eight European countries over the last twenty years. Chapters in this volume focus on councillors’ interactions with citizens and their views of local government, democracy, and public service delivery. Structured thematically to allow for cross-country comparisons, the book will appeal to all those interested in European local government and public administration, as well as policymakers and practitioners.