Kommunale Haushaltskonsolidierung durch Konditionalität

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Abstract Political steering through conditionality is highly controversial. Nevertheless, German federal states have set up conditional consolidation programmes for their highly indebted local governments. These programmes provide financial relief, but in return they also require significant fiscal consolidation efforts from local authorities. This comparative case study examines the consolidation successes and approaches of independent cities participating in the ‘Entschuldungsfonds’ (Rhineland-Palatinate), ‘Schutzschirm’ (Hesse) and ‘Stärkungspakt’ (North Rhine-Westphalia) programmes. Different consolidation successes and approaches are explained using specified actor-centred institutionalism. It turns out that both the regulatory structures of the consolidation programmes and the actions of local actors are important explanatory factors. Some of the cities have achieved short-term consolidation gains, but more comprehensive modernisation of municipal service provision has not yet been observed.