IDEAGOV, the International Center for Decentralization and Governance, based at the Universidade de Santiago de Compostela (Spain) is envisioned as a global hub for cutting-edge research and policy dialogue on decentralization, governance, and federalism—both within the European Union and worldwide.
Building on the foundations of DERNET - Political and Fiscal Decentralization Network, IDEAGOV enhances its capacity to lead interdisciplinary research and foster collaboration among economists, political scientists, and geographers.
The center will continue to host a dedicated division focused on Spanish national decentralization and governance (RIFDE - Red de Investigadores en Financiación Autonómica y Descentralización Financiera en España), while DERNET is absorbed into IDEAGOV.
News
29 jun 2026
A new contribution to the IDEAGOV Working Paper Series investigates the role of political and technocratic actors in shaping citizens’ attitudes towards public policies. In “Technocratic vs Partisan Framing in Regional Fiscal Politics: Experimental Evidence from Spain”, María Cadaval-Sampedro, Santiago Lago-Peñas, Xoaquín Fernández-Leiceaga and Alejandro Domínguez-Lamela (Universidade de Santiago de Compostela) analyse how the source of a policy proposal influences public opinion in a...
New Working Paper in the IDEAGOV Working Paper Series
22 jun 2026
The latest addition to the IDEAGOV Working Paper Series explores how the COVID-19 pandemic shaped electoral behaviour and political accountability across different systems of government. The paper, entitled “Who's in Charge? Understanding Rallying and Accountability in the COVID-19 Pandemic”, is authored by Ignacio Lago (Universitat Pompeu Fabra) and Santiago Lago-Peñas (Universidade de Santiago de Compostela). The paper investigates how the COVID-19 pandemic influenced electoral behaviour...
New Working Paper in the IDEAGOV Working Paper Series
7 may 2026
IDEAGOV is pleased to announce the publication of a new Working Paper entitled “Revenue Decentralization and Vertical Fiscal Imbalance: A Survey,” authored by Manuel E. Lago (Paris School of Economics), Santiago Lago-Peñas (Universidade de Santiago de Compostela), Jorge Martinez-Vazquez (Georgia State University) and Cristian Sepulveda (Farmingdale State College). This paper offers a comprehensive and up-to-date survey of subnational revenue autonomy and vertical fiscal imbalances (VFI) in...
New Working Paper in the IDEAGOV Working Paper Series
12 mar 2026
IDEAGOV is pleased to announce the publication of a new Working Paper entitled “ Asymmetric Decentralization in France: A Municipal-Centered Exception ,” authored by Guy Gilbert (ENS Paris-Saclay), Thierry Madiès (University of Fribourg) and Sonia Paty (University of Lyon 2, GATE Lyon Saint-Etienne). The paper analyzes asymmetric decentralization through the specific case of France, a unitary state that has developed distinctive forms of territorial asymmetry. Unlike cases where asymmetry...
New Working Paper in the IDEAGOV Working Paper Series
9 mar 2026
The International Conference on Democracy and Global Governance successfully concluded, bringing together leading international scholars and institutional representatives to reflect on the most pressing challenges facing contemporary democracies. Organized by IDEAGOV and Foro Economico de Galicia, the Conference provided a high-level forum for the analysis of political polarisation, institutional resilience, and the global reconfiguration of governance. The opening session featured...
International Conference on Democracy and Global Governance Concludes Successfully in Santiago de Compostela
IDEAGOV
International Center for Decentralization and Governance
Conferences and Workshops
IDEAGOV hosts high-level academic events, including international conferences and specialized workshops that foster exchange among scholars and practitioners. Outcomes are published in special issues of peer-reviewed journals and edited volumes. The center also maintains a dedicated working paper series to promote early-stage research.
Research Projects
IDEAGOV leads and contributes to major research initiatives funded by the European Union and other international bodies. These projects address key challenges in decentralization and governance, encouraging collaboration across disciplines and institutions throughout Europe.
Policy Reports
IDEAGOV applies its interdisciplinary expertise to produce evidence-based reports commissioned by international organizations. These contributions support informed decision-making and advance policy development in fiscal federalism, decentralization, and governance.