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New Regions in England and Germany: An Examination of the Interaction of Constitutional Structures, Formal Regions and Informal Institutions

School of Social and Behavioural Sciences, University of Westminster, 309 Regent Street, London, W1R 8AL, UK, herrsct{at}wmin.ac.uk

Peter Newman

School of the Built Environment, University of Westminster, 35 Marylebone Road, London, W1 5LS, UK, newmanp{at}wmin.ac.uk

This paper examines the stark contrasts in regional governance arising from the different constitutional and political contexts in England and Germany, but argues that there are also differences within formal regions in the two countries. Recent developments in Germany show the uneven emergence and acceptance of informal policy-making institutions concerned with economic development and planning within the Länder and within formal planning regions. In England, the paper examines a process of continuing local and regional adjustment to centrally imposed institutional reforms. The paper argues that, whilst constitutional differences are clearly important factors, to understand directions of change in regional governance and, by extension, broader prospects for a 'Europe of regions', we need to examine the dynamics of formal regional government and informal institutions.

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