LOCAL LEADERSHIP IN SWEDEN

Abstract

The aim of this study is to examine local reforms in Sweden and the impact of these reforms on local leadership. Local reforms, which made serious changes in the institutional structures of local governments, were basically based on classical model criticisms. In this context, the main criticism is that the local councils, which fulfil the legislative function, hold all the political power and authority of the local government, and the committees that fulfil the 'administration' function are more helpless and dysfunctional. In this context, as in many other European countries, local reforms have been made in Sweden, which try to make the administration and local leaders strong and functional. However, it is a critical question of how strong and functional local reforms make local leadership in practice. In practice, even though administration and local leadership have played more distinct roles compared to previous periods, parliament and political parties have been able to intervene in administrative matters when needed. However, since the role and position of local leaders in their interaction with "politics" were not clearly revealed in the local reforms, local leaders were caught between being an administrative and being a party member and could not exhibit a distinctive behavior.

Keywords: Sweden, Local Governments, Local Leadership, Local Administration, Local Reforms