Unique Type of Slovenian Local Leaders: Where Executive Mayors have Mediterranean Strength

Abstract

Reforms spreading throughout Europe have brought different streams that have reorganised the structures of local authorities. The impact of reform has been especially strong on local political leadership, which is the key element in the functioning of local authorities. According to POLLEADER typology, Slovenia belongs in the Central East European group of countries with executive mayors, but our analysis shows that during reforms several elements deriving from Southern European local government traditions were introduced into the Slovenian local self-government system. In Slovenia, the Continental European Napoleonic administrative tradition persists, in which mayors have significant influence and control over the municipal administration and are also deeply involved in its everyday functioning. Hence Slovenia, with a directly elected strong mayor, occupies a unique place at the intersection of Southern European local government systems and the Central East European type of local–central relations.