Experiencing and supporting institutional regionalization in Belgium: a normative and interpretive policy feedback perspective

Abstract Regionalization has been a defining feature of European politics since the 1970s. Previous work studied political drivers movements competences to subnational level, including role citizens’ preferences. Yet, we still know little about how these new divisions between government levels have impacted development public opinion this division. The article builds on literature policy feedback and argues that institutional regionalization may both directly indirectly affect support for through normative interpretive effects. To empirically qualify expectations, uses eight cross sections Flemish Walloon populations in Belgium (1991–2019). This approach explains differences citizens were socialized different regional contexts. analyses show Walloons who came age context more tend be supportive regionalization. In Flanders, contrast, is most consistently substantially explained by Belgian identification. However, our no expectation coming regionalized associated with greater sense