Decentralisation in the Netherlands: Decision making close to the people or efficient organisation of the state?

The Netherlands is a decentralised unitary state. Territories have autonomous powers. There are three tiers: national, provincial and municipal. Despite discussions on territorial reform, the three-tier system so far has not undergone major changes. However, recent decentralisation of tasks and funds in the social domain has increased the pressure to up-scale and collaborate and has also been used as an argument in attempts by the national level to implement more radical territorial reforms. So far these more radical plans consisting of large scale mergers of territories have not been realised. Partly in reaction, a growing number of alliances and forms of collaboration between territories occur. Efficiency seems to dominate the debate on decentralisation rather than division of powers.

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