Brussels Signal | Gabriel Elefteriu
Sub-national powers, including mayors and regional leaders, are increasingly becoming the primary route to supreme political authority, as central administrations face growing failures. This trend is exemplified by figures like Andy Burnham (Greater Manchester), Boris Johnson (London), and Jacques Chirac (Paris) who ascended to national leadership. Several factors drive this shift: sub-national governments now account for approximately 40 per cent of total public expenditure and 55 per cent of public investment across OECD countries, a steadily rising share. California's state spending, for instance, grew from $51.4 billion in fiscal year 1990-91 to over $300 billion by 2025-26. Urbanization and economic concentration create powerful city-states, while deliberate decentralization, adopted by two-thirds of countries since the 1980s, empowers regional authorities. Central governments also struggle with governance overload, finding complex, hyper-local problems better addressed by sub-national leaders. This devolution, evident even in non-democratic states like China's Guangdong province, suggests future political battles will be won at local and regional levels.
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