Democratic Institutions Without Democratic Content?-New Regionalism and Democratic Backsliding in Regional Reforms in Sweden

The aim of this article is to examine trends democratic backsliding associated with the long standing reform work on regional institutions and policies in Sweden. To end, conceptualized a different manner compared conventional understandings. By doing so, highlights missing aspect research that concerns how well-intended reforms designed strengthen can also harbor non-democratic consequences. In Sweden, new political arena was created when former county councils were transformed into so-called called regions 2019. As part this, have been assigned responsibility for both health care development planning. overall problem be analyzed focuses relations between policy objectives democracy regionalist ideas economic growth central processes. results highlight governing rationalities processes changed during period 1990 2020. original conception creating mini-version liberal representative turned form privileging goals. permeate sphere today close space articulated interests opinions-a dimension we argue crucial any society. We draw two main conclusions: First neoliberal analysis at level, resulting descriptive discussion tend ignore effects particularly strong emphasis growth. Secondly, there lack takes level account, i.e., sub-national should regarded thus discussed as distinctive democracy.