Asymmetric Decentralization in France: A Municipal-Centered Exception

Guy Gilbert, Thierry Madiès () and Sonia Paty ()
Additional contact information
Guy Gilbert: ENS-PSL - École normale supérieure - Paris - PSL - Université Paris Sciences et Lettres
Thierry Madiès: UNIFR - Université de Fribourg = University of Fribourg
Sonia Paty: UL2 - Université Lumière - Lyon 2, GATE Lyon Saint-Étienne - Groupe d'Analyse et de Théorie Economique Lyon - Saint-Etienne - UL2 - Université Lumière - Lyon 2 - UJM - Université Jean Monnet - Saint-Étienne - UJM EPE - Université Jean Monnet (EPSCPE) - EM - EMLyon Business School - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique

Working Papers from HAL

Abstract: This article aims to analyze asymmetric decentralization through the specific case of a unitary state – France. The country has developed forms of asymmetry designed to provide a pragmatic response to the challenges raised by decentralization in metropolitan France, particularly in the context of a highly fragmented municipal structure. The originality of "French-style" asymmetries lies in a functionalist approach that primarily seeks to improve the efficiency of decentralized public action, rather than to directly strengthen local democracy.

Keywords: decentralization; fragmentation; local administration; taxation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026-04-24
Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://hal.science/hal-05601609v1
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://hal.science/hal-05601609v1/document (application/pdf)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hal:wpaper:hal-05601609

Access Statistics for this paper

More papers in Working Papers from HAL
Bibliographic data for series maintained by CCSD ().