Skip to main content

Research Repository

Advanced Search

Local political leadership: Nordic style

Goldsmith, MJF; Larsen, H

Authors

MJF Goldsmith

H Larsen



Abstract

In a context where changes brought about by globalization and Europeanization, and where local governments increasingly operate in a governance mode, different countries place increasing stress on the importance of strong local leadership. This article reviews local political leadership in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. Outside of a few major (mainly capital) cities, local government in the Nordic area remains small scale and frequently rural, is strongly partisan, yet relies on a strong tradition of consensual, corporatist style of decision-making. Furthermore, this social democratic consensus places a stress on the continued production and delivery of high quality welfare state services. This domestic environment produces a style of local leadership which is essentially collective in nature and in which the strong mayor concept is alien. The article reviews the experience of local political leadership in the four Nordic countries and concludes that, though there is some small country variation and without many examples of strong mayors, local political leaders play an important role, especially in managing and maintaining the consensual style of politics.

Citation

Goldsmith, M., & Larsen, H. (2004). Local political leadership: Nordic style. International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, 28(1), 121-133. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.0309-1317.2004.00506.x

Journal Article Type Article
Publication Date Mar 1, 2004
Deposit Date Jan 22, 2009
Journal International Journal of Urban and Regional Research
Print ISSN 0309-1317
Publisher Wiley
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 28
Issue 1
Pages 121-133
DOI https://doi.org/10.1111/j.0309-1317.2004.00506.x
Publisher URL http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.0309-1317.2004.00506.x


Downloadable Citations