The Center–Regions Relationship: What Has Changed in Four Years of Crisis?

Abstract

The crisis is now in its fourth year and has become a difficult challenge for the system of governance overall and for relationships between the center and the regions. All levels of government have had to adapt to shrinking financial resources. But adaptation requires an assessment of how long the crisis will last, the risks connected with it, and the most likely trajectory it will take as it ends, be it stagnation or moderate or rapid growth. With dwindling resources, the federal government will have to review priorities and the degree of support for regions. It will also have to seek out new sources of income and stimulate drivers of growth. Finally, it will have to change the system of governance to make it more effective. How can these tasks be resolved?