Governance Preferences of Subnational Administrative Elites in the European Union: An Empirical Analysis

The paper explores the preferences of subnational administrative elites with respect to crucial issues of European and subnational governance. The individual preferences of top subnational officials from five European countries are ascertained, patterns are identified and the data are interpreted. Subnational administrative elites are generally EU-friendly and supportive of the process of European integration. With respect to issues of subnational governance, our respondents would like to see moderate strengthening of the institutional nexus between regions and the EU. However, subnational interest in closer cooperation with the EU in specific policy areas remains surprisingly weak.