Local Politics in Austria

Research project P 13751 Local Politics in Austria Herbert DACHS 28.06.1999 The research project ,Local Politics in Austria" analyses the local political level in the Austrian political system. The project basically operates with the assumption, that strict lines between central-state politic and subordinated levels of self-government are no longer valid and that the central, regional and local politics increasingly work under conditions of interdependence and mutual penetration. The central research question therefore discusses to what extent the local level plays an autonomous role in the political administrative system of planning, controlling and acting with an identifiable political scope for action an autonomous legitimisation and integration functions? The central research question will be approached by analysing specific policies. The analysis of selected Austrian local communities concerning their employment and economic policies should lead to new scientific findings about * The political scope for action at the local level in the greater political system consisting of the provinces, the federal state and the European Union (multi level-governance), * The "internal" local political structures and processes at the local level and *The efficiency, legitimacy and integrative functions of the local political system in Austria. Refering to the research questions we operate with the local governance approach, but also integrate elements of the community power-research in our theoretical framework. Concerning the selection of the cases under investigation we operate with the most different case design. Taking the different socio-structural bases into account we select our cases on the basis of three categories: four local communities in industrial regions (in Styria and Upper Austria), four agrarian local communities in touristic regions (in Salzburg and Tyrol) and - as economic centers and centers for service industries - two cities (Salzburg- City and Linz). Refering to the methodology we use field research, interviews and group discussions and analyse no only the scientific literature, but also the publications, booklets and information-material of the local communities.

Local politics in Austria suffers from an only limited scope for action, which very much depends on the creativity, initiative and coalition capacities of actors beyond the local horizon. This is the major result of the finished research project, which investigated the economic, employment and labour market policy in ten municipalities (two small till middle-sized municipalities of diverse economic structure in the four provinces of Salzburg, Styria, Tyrol and Upper Austria plus the provincial capitals of Salzburg and Upper Austria were selected). Because of the lack of written primary sources the focus of the empirical work was laid on altogether 105 qualitative, semi-structured oral interviews with local and regional actors (local politicians, civil servants of provincial governments, employees of the Chambers of Business as well as of the Labour Market Service etc.). Further results can be noted: As a consequence of economic globalisation and European integration, since the 1980s more and more local communities have begun to overcome their traditional `church-tower` thinking and seek cooperation with other local communities in the region. In economic policy they have increasingly participated in institutions which had been set up to give regional impulses. Under various labels (`round-tables`, `regional managements` etc.) representatives of different levels (local, district, provincial) and different sectors (provincial government, corporate actors, but also tourist organisations, enterprises or banks) come together. Similarly, in employment and labour market policy the range of involved actors has been extended, aiming at integrating it more with economic policy and at the same time decentralising it. In some parts of the country meanwhile strategic consultations between the province, interest groups involved in `territorial employment pacts` (TEPS) and regional development organisations take place, which have resulted in the development of integrated regional strategies relating to the labour market, innovation, technology and marketing. Periodic contacts have intensified the exchange of experiences between regions and local communities about pilot projects and innovative models. It has to be acknowledged, however, that most of the new cooperations have started not `from the bottom`, but hat to be initiated `from above`.