Local government system after forty years of democratic councils: development and challenges

Abstract

Local government system has undergone many changes since the first local democratic election was held forty years ago. Some of these changes fall within waves of democratization and strengthening of local governments that go beyond national boundaries, whilst others relate to the implementation of certain adjustments within the Spanish territorial framework. All of the said changes have consolidated a successful local government model which nonetheless faces numerous political, administrative, geographical and demographic challenges. This paper looks into the various milestones of this local government development, and it tries to outline the future areas of debate regarding local government forms.