Subnational trouble? Party system nationalisation, issue salience, and capacity constraints in Spain´s infringements of European environmental directives

Marie-Thérèse Wilhelm

South European Society and Politics, 2025, vol. 30, issue 2, 257-289

Abstract: This article examines variation in infringements of European environmental directives among Spanish autonomous communities, using subnational infringement data from 2005 to 2018 and nine interviews with subnational implementing actors. Grounded in enforcement and management approaches in European Union implementation research, this study tests how subnational resources, governance quality, political preferences, and issue salience shape subnational infringement likelihood. The findings reveal that while resources and governance quality impact compliance, party system nationalisation and environmental issue salience are the key determinants of subnational infringements. This study offers a novel perspective on Spanish environmental governance, demonstrating how fragmented political preferences and uneven capacities hinder the achievement of European environmental objectives. It highlights that beyond capacity constraints, political factors are decisive in shaping subnational compliance patterns within Spain.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1080/13608746.2025.2490896

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