Can cooperation between a city and a region lead to a robust solution during a polycrisis? – the case of Czechia

Original

Can cooperation between a city and a region lead to a robust solution during a polycrisis? – the case of Czechia

Michal Plaček, Juraj Nemec, David Špaček, Eduard Bakoš

Abstract

The goal of this article is to explore whether municipal and regional cooperation can provide robust governance solutions during a polycrisis. The methodology of the article is based on a single-country case study from Czechia. The case study focuses on coping with the COVID-19 pandemic and the refugee crisis resulting from the war in Ukraine. We demonstrate how cooperation between a city and a region contributed to robust solutions and improved the lives of local communities. Although municipal and regional cooperation can potentially create significant positive effects that align with the definition of robust governance, this potential is not fully realized in Czechia. The main reasons for this untapped potential are failures of the central government, a lack of leadership and strategic focus, and the absence of formalized learning.