ECPR Standing Group on Local Government & Politics

Participating in our section "Local Governments and Politics in Europe in an Era of Global Challenges"? Don't forget to register by 23 July.

Local democracy also plays a vital role—it engages citizens, prepares political elites, and serves as a testing ground for democratic innovation. It is pretty useful to understand how it works”.

It's hard to imagine a modern welfare state or effective public services without decentralization and the empowerment of local authorities.

📈 Why does my research matter?
“Because local government matters, and the local context is crucial for understanding political behavior. Local governments are responsible for many essential functions.

Additionally, being part of a community of fellow researchers is a significant motivator for me. I strongly believe that research is a collective endeavor“.

🔬 What drives me to be a researcher?
“Curiosity, of course—but also skepticism. I believe it's important to challenge “common wisdoms,” as they don’t always hold up to empirical scrutiny.

For decades, comparative politics has focused mainly on cross-national comparisons, often overlooking the diversity within local government systems. As a result, there is still much to explore, discover, and systematize in this field”.

🤔 Why am I interested in these topics?
“Because local politics is fascinating—and in many respects, quite different from national politics. It is also far more diverse.

I’m also interested in the political geography of administrative divisions. For local government scholars, this involves issues such as amalgamation reforms, municipal mergers, and territorial splits”.
#Elections #LocalGov #PoliticalGeography

📚 What is my research?
“I study local politics—primarily local elections, including electoral systems, voting behavior, the role of local parties, and independent local lists.

🔎✨ Researcher Spotlight ✨🔎

👋 Meet @adamgendzwill.bsky.social from the University of Warsaw! His research explores local elections, political geography, and how municipal structures shape everyday democracy. 🗳️ 👇
#LocalPolitics #PoliticalScience #Democracy

These insights can inform policy reforms that strengthen local democracy and improve public services that impact people's daily lives".

#LocalGovernment #Reform #GoodGovernance

📈 Why does my research matter?

"My research helps identify which governance arrangements promote accountability, efficiency, and citizen engagement.

🔍 What drives me to be a researcher?

"I am driven by the desire to understand how local institutions can be designed to enhance democratic participation, improve service delivery, and create more responsive and transparent governance systems"

🤔 Why am I interested in these topics?

"I am fascinated by how local institutional choices affect democratic processes & policy outcomes. Local governments are laboratories for democracy where citizens directly experience the effects of institutional design & policy decisions"

📚 What is my research?

"My research examines local governance institutions, municipal reforms, & political participation. I study how territorial organization, service delivery choices, transparency, and citizen engagement shape local democracy & public service outcomes"

🔎✨ Researcher Spotlight ✨🔎

👋 Meet António Tavares from the University of Minho, whose research explores how local institutions shape democracy and public services. 🏛️👇 #LocalGovernance #PoliticalScience

First slide of keynote speech on new developments in local politics research.

Presentation on policy positions in German municipalities, together with Christina-Marie Juen.

Honoured to give the keynote speech at LoPaPol 2025 @polscileiden.bsky.social.

But before that: presenting insights of our @dfg.de project, w/ awesome @christinajuen.bsky.social. 😍

Thanks to @simonotjes.bsky.social @rafreuse.bsky.social & @christinajuen.bsky.social LoPaPol is going places.

Home after a very intensive 2-day conference on Local Party Politics (LoPaPol) that we organized at @polscileiden.bsky.social. 25 great presentations on local level partisan politics and an excellent key note speech by @martingross.bsky.social at the Leiden city hall! Thanks to all the attendees!

🔎 What drives you to be a researcher?
"The interest to understand the world around me, and to grasp what drives political phenomena. This is surely nurtured by my curiosity and love for knowing new realities and explore new places!" 🌍🔬✨ #PoliticalScience #CuriosityDriven

🔬 Why does your research matter?
"Political phenomena can be better understood by looking at their roots. And the roots are, more often than not, local." 🌱🏛️ #ResearchMatters

💡 Why are you interested in this topic?
"I come from a country of small towns, with important socio-economic, geographical, and political-institutional inequalities. This pushes me to be particularly sensitive to local peculiarities, needs & dynamics." 🌆⚖️

🧐 What is your research?
"I investigate how local democracy, actors & political/electoral processes—especially at the municipal level—adapt in a multilevel environment in response to contemporary crises & complex challenges." 🌍🏛️ #LocalPolitics #Democracy

🔎✨ Researcher Spotlight ✨🔎
We're showcasing members of our Standing Group, their research & contributions to societal debate! Kicking off the series is our SG’s Chair, Silvia Bolgherini. 🏛️📚 #PoliticalScience #ResearcherSpotlight #LocalDemocracy

Studying local government and politics in Central and Eastern Europe?

Present your research at the third CEE-Loc Conference, taking place on 25-26 September in Budapest.

Send your abstract by 28 February to dobos.gabor@tk.hu

Call for Participation: PhD Summer School ‘Global challenges and local responses’, 01-04 September 2025, Athens European Consortium for Political Research

Call for the PhD Summer School "Global challenges and local responses" is now open‼️
📅1-4 September 2025
🏛️Athens
deadline for applications: 31 March 2024

ecpr.eu/news/news/de...

Local Government Studies Volume 51, Issue 1 of Local Government Studies

Our first issue of 2025 is now available to browse online! Articles include a lit review of using social media to support public engagement, local gov in Northern Ireland & a paper on whether the media seems more hostile to losers.

Browse today at the link:

www.tandfonline.com/toc/flgs20/5...

‼️Save the date ‼️

Interested in local politics and keen to learn more about local elections? 📈 Join us and the Centre of Local Politics during the last edition of this winter's GASPAR lecture series with Prof. Ulrik Kjær!

➡️Register now at: event.ugent.be/registration...

📣CALL FOR PAPERS - local democracy in NL, BE, LUX

PLC will host a special issue on #localdemocracy guest edited by K. Steyvers and J. van Ostaaijen @ostaaijen.bsky.social

📨 Submit your abstract by Feb 24 !

More info 👉 plc-journal.eu/announcement...

Working on local party politics?

Only a couple of days left to register for the LoPaPol workshop in beautiful Leiden 👇