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How do citizens perceive centralization reforms? Evidence from the merger of French regions

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  • Lionel WILNER

    (INSEE-CREST)

Abstract

Using the 2016 merger of French regions as a natural experiment, this paper adopts a difference-in-difference identification strategy to recover its causal impact on individual subjective well-being. No depressing effect is found; life satisfaction has even increased in regions that were absorbed from both economic and political view points. The empirical evidence at stake suggests that local economic performance has enhanced in these regions, which includes a faster decline of the unemployment rate. In the context of a unitary state, economic gains have therefore outweighed cultural attachment to administrative regions.

Suggested Citation

  • Lionel WILNER, 2020. "How do citizens perceive centralization reforms? Evidence from the merger of French regions," Working Papers 2020-20, Center for Research in Economics and Statistics, revised 07 Jun 2021.
  • Handle: RePEc:crs:wpaper:2020-20
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    Cited by:

    1. Clémence Tricaud, 2021. "Better Alone? Evidence on the Costs of Intermunicipal Cooperation," Working Papers hal-03380333, HAL.
    2. repec:hal:journl:hal-03380333 is not listed on IDEAS
    3. Clémence Tricaud, 2021. "Better Alone? Evidence on the Costs of Intermunicipal Cooperation," Post-Print halshs-03243307, HAL.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Merger of regions; natural experiment; difference-in-difference; subjective well-being; centralization;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H75 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - State and Local Government: Health, Education, and Welfare
    • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being

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