The new generation of public policies for the social economy, a new policy straddling social, labour, industrial, and territorial policies. An overview

A new generation of public policies to promote the social economy has been promoted over the last fifteen years by governments on different continents. These policies have been deployed in a context of changes in the way government action is carried out towards more participatory models and a revaluation of the social economy as a sustainable and inclusive economic alternative. These policies are characterised by their cross-cutting approach, overcoming the traditional fragmentation of the social economy sector, by pursuing multiple objectives and systemic transition, by emphasising public-private collaboration both in the way policies are formulated and in their implementation, and by using specific instruments such as support strategies, spaces for concertation and legislative advances. This paper shows how numerous European countries have implemented multi-year plans to promote the social economy and have passed specific legislation for its development. However, these policies face challenges such as institutional rigidity and resistance, as well as the challenge of their survival, overcoming issues linked to political cycles and the stability of alliances.