Conclusion: Tensions, Challenges, and Future “Flags” of Local Public Sector Reforms and Comparative Research

Abstract

The country comparisons presented in this book have revealed four areas of research addressing major cross-cutting issues of local public sector reforms in Europe: (1) Rescaling, restructuring, and multilevel governance. (2) Output legitimacy, citizen satisfaction, and service delivery. (3) Input legitimacy, trust, and participation. (4) Local autonomy, austerity, and the fiscal crisis.