POLITICAL FRAGMENTATION AND EXTERNAL SOURCES OF FUNDING IN LOCAL GOVERNMENTS. DO POWER STRUGGLES MATTER?

The rationale for taking up the notion of political fragmentation in connection with local governments’ capacity to secure external sources of funding comes about from the fact that local governments continuously face shortages of funding. Their socio-economic development thus depends on their capacity to secure external funding. There are significant differences between localities in terms of fund-rising effectiveness. The aim of this paper is to analyse the role which political fragmentation in local government councils plays in that respect. Hypothesis tested in the paper is that “political fragmentation is negatively correlated with local governments’ capacity for absorbing external funding, in particular EU funds”. The research focuses on relating data on EU funding obtained by Polish municipalities to the level of political fragmentation in communal councils. Analysed data for absorption of EU funding covers the period between 2006 and 2011. Election results for two terms of office are also used.