The Bright Side of Breaking Up: How Territorial Fragmentation Increases Political Engagement in Local Communities

Abstract

Territorial reforms of administrative boundaries primarily aim at pursuing cost and administrative efficiency objectives, but their impact on the political engagement of local communities remains unclear. Moreover, while amalgamations have been widely studied, little is known about the effects of territorial fragmentation. To bridge this gap, we examine a regional reform in Italy's Apulia region, wherein five municipalities voluntarily underwent division in the mid-1970s. Through examining its long-term effects on voter turnout, we uncover new insights on the potential merits of territorial fragmentation in fostering enhanced political engagement, especially at the local level.