Norwegian centre–periphery relations in flux: Abolition or reconstruction of regional governance?

Abstract

The periphery has traditionally had a strong position in the Norwegian polity. From the 1990s, the periphery and its institutional underpinnings, especially the county councils, have been put onto the defensive. Why is this happening? And how is the likely pattern of regional governance going to look? Our main argument is that the region-building forces are facing an uphill struggle against a fundamental transformation of the Norwegian periphery and a concomitant change of the Norwegian state into a financial giant. In combination, these two features drive a classic 'revolution of rising expectations' that undercuts the position of the county councils and possibly also that of future enlarged regions. An ever more centralised state is not an unlikely course of development for the Norwegian polity. Europeanisation and identity politics may work in favour of a New Regionalism that involves cities as actors in regional governance more than has been the case hitherto.

“It's the Central Government's Fault”: Elected Regional Officials' Use of Blame‐Shifting Rhetoric

“…Furthermore, I include a control for the region's geographical distance to the national center of policymaking. The importance of center–periphery conflicts varies across countries (Baldersheim and Fimreite 2005; Rokkan and Lipset 1967; Rokkan and Urwin 1983), but all else being equal, a “run against Washington” strategy may resonate better in places far from the national center of policymaking. And even in a small country such as Denmark, the center–periphery conflict enters the public agenda from time to time.…”

Strong Regions within the Unitary State: The Nordic Experience of Regionalization

“…In proportion to their population size peripheral regions have more seats in the national parliament than core regions. Baldersheim and Fimreite (2005) describe the peripheral regions of Norway as the "triumphant periphery" compared to other European countries where the periphery has become either Strong Regions within the Unitary State: The Nordic Experience 433 the "suppressed periphery", as in France or countries without a political periphery, e.g. the Netherlands.…”

Linkage in Multi-level Party Organizations: The Role(s) of Norwegian Regional Party Branches

“…Abolition of this level is being discussed (Baldersheim and Fimreite, 2007). Its most important task-hospitals-was taken over by the state in 2002.…”