Work

From champion of decentralization to illiberal recentralization in Hungarian local government

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: The paper analyses the recentralisation of Hungary’s local governance under the Orbán regime since 2010, highlighting three key mechanisms: hostile takeover of local competences, financial draining, and clientelisation of central-local relations. Recentralisation in Hungary can be characterised as a two-wave process – an ideologically driven phase between 2010 and 2014 and a politically strategic phase after 2019 that targeted opposition-led municipalities. Drawing on legislative changes, policy documents, and secondary literature, the study argues that Hungary illustrates how illiberal regimes deploy ostensibly technocratic reforms to undermine pluralism and reinforce authoritarian centralisation.

Source: Urban Research & Practice

DOI: 10.1080/17535069.2025.2595470

Authors: Gábor Dobos, László Kákai, Ilona Pálné Kovács

Institutions: Eötvös Loránd University, Ludovika University of Public Service, University of Pecs, ELTE Centre for Economic and Regional Studies

Language: English

Topic: Local Governance and Planning

Subfield: Geography, Planning and Development

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Peace, justice, and strong institutions

Open Access status: green

Funder: Pécsi Tudományegyetem