The Peculiar Evolution of Slovenian Local Government

"“This is a path-breaking examination of local governments (based on the experience of Slovenia), -and I can wholeheartedly recommend it to any student of local governments. It is a must read! Their book provides a view of local governments in Slovenia as seen through several lenses: the constitutional pillars, the historical normative perspectives, and through the dynamics of evolution. Their focus on mayors and local councils provides us with a theoretically robust and comprehensive treatment of local governments in this young democracy. Their use of data and data analysis was flawless and insightful. The discussion on the amount and character of democracy was particularly subtle. Their use of data on direct and indirect democracy and public opinion was impressive. The contrasting fact that most citizens dislike parties and vote for nonpartisan lists was contrasted with the fact that some of the nonpartisan lists contain seasoned politicians from a recognizable party was an ironic finding. What made the rigorous findings of this book particularly valuable and subtle was the authors’ ability to frame their findings in the context of other European local government systems. It is well conceptualized, well written and a delight to read.” -- Michele M. Hoyman, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill “Following its independence in 1991, Slovenia faced the daunting task of developing a modern system of local government. In this compact volume, Simona Kukovic and Miro Hacek offer a marvelous overview of that process, placing it both in historical perspective and comparative European context. From Ljubljana to Hodos, Slovenia today has over two hundred municipalities of various sizes and organization. A small nation, Slovenia nevertheless sits at the crossroads of modern Europe and offers unique insight into the promise and problems of local self-government. Kukovic and Hecek explain both Slovenia’s failed efforts to establish regional levels of government and also its success in fostering robust forms of local democracy with direct and indirect citizen participation. This volume is a must read for anyone interested in local democracy in Europe and a welcome addition to the literature on Slovenian government and politics.” -- Cornell Clayton, WSU, C.O. Johnson Distinguished Professor of Political Science “In this book we witness the birth of modern local government in Slovenia as Kukovic & Hacek retrace the challenging task of introducing autonomous local government in a previous socialist communal system. The Peculiar Evolution of Slovenian Local Government truly expands the boundaries of our understanding on the modern European local government and governance, it is a timely and much-needed addition to the current knowledge base in European local government. This is essential reading for all students and scholars of sub national government.” -- Eva Marín Hlynsdóttir, University of Iceland “This is a very comprehensive, accessible, and informative book on Slovenian local government. It fills a void in the literature by tracing its evolution in recent years and placing it in a comparative perspective. Specialists and scholars will benefit from the rigorous and compelling work of Kukovič and Hacek."" -- Filipe Teles, University of Aveiro, Portugal"