Making Decentralization Work: The Politics of Implementation

to what extent, and under what circumstances, are decentralization agreements actually carried out? We argue that insufficient implementation can lead to political backlash and worsen pre-existing territorial conflicts. At the same time, we acknowledge that fully unpacking these consequences is beyond the scope of this study. Future research should further explore this area, especially by examining cases where the institutional rules governing the implementation of decentralization agreements differ from those in Spain, and by investigating the mechanisms behind the relationships identified here more closely.