The distribution of responsibilities in the city administration: a research about its recent reform in Portugal

Abstract

It is not easy to properly coordinate the power of local government bodies. The local government reforms taking place around the world aim to improve this coordenation. The latest reform of the Portuguese local government (in 2012) had the same aim and was based on the Green Paper for Local Government Reform, issued in 2011 by the XIX Constitutional Government. The defined objectives are to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of public administration and set a new paradigm of local management, by improving the organization of the territory, improving management and financing, and strengthening local democracy. This paper aims to investigate the impact this reform had on the legal competencies of the major municipal bodies: municipal assemblies, municipal councils, mayors and parish councils. These bodies were chosen because of the irdeliberative and executive power at municipal level.